Create a blended photo collage in Photoshop
In this tutorial, you’ll build a creative collage by stacking and blending multiple photos in a single Photoshop document. You’ll use gradient masks for smooth transitions, overlay a texture for depth, color-grade with a gradient adjustment, and add a stylized title using layer styles.
Step-by-step instructions
Load multiple images into a single document
Go to File → Scripts → Load Files into Stack…
Click Browse, select your images (e.g., three photos), and click OK
Click OK again to create a new document with each image on its own layer
Press Ctrl+0 (Cmd+0 on Mac) to fit the canvas to screen
Crop the canvas without deleting pixels
Select the Crop Tool (C)
In the Options bar, ensure Delete Cropped Pixels is unchecked
Set Width, Height, and Resolution if you need a specific size, or eyeball the crop
Click the checkmark (or press Enter/Return) to commit
Position and scale the photos
Select the Move Tool (V), then arrange the layers in your desired order (e.g., portrait layer on top)
With a layer active, press Ctrl+T (Cmd+T) to Free Transform and resize/position it
Hold Shift while dragging a corner to constrain proportions; press Enter/Return to commit
Blend images with a gradient layer mask
Select the top photo layer and click Add Layer Mask
Press D to reset swatches to black/white
Select the Gradient Tool (G) → choose Basics → Foreground to Background (black to white), Linear, Mode: Normal, Opacity: 100%
Drag across the masked edge to create a soft blend; drag farther for a smoother transition and avoid revealing the document edge
Add and blend a texture overlay
Place or reveal your texture layer (e.g., a vintage map) above the photos
Press Ctrl+T (Cmd+T) to scale to fit; hold Shift to constrain proportions
Change the blending mode to Overlay (try Darken/Lighten groups or other Overlay modes for different looks)
Lower Opacity to taste so the texture subtly blends in
Mask the texture off faces and subjects
With the texture layer active, click Add Layer Mask
Press X to set black as Foreground and select the Brush Tool (B) with a soft round brush
Set Opacity to 100% and paint black over areas you want to hide (e.g., faces)
Reduce Brush Opacity to ~18% and softly fade the texture where needed for selective control
Color-grade with a gradient adjustment
Click a photo layer (not a mask), then click the Foreground swatch and sample a warm color from the image; click OK
Click the Background swatch and sample a cooler blue from the image (lower saturation if desired); click OK
Go to Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Gradient… → Gradient Type: Foreground to Background, adjust Angle and Scale
Set the Gradient layer’s Blend Mode to Color and lower Opacity to taste to influence hues while preserving detail
Add stylized title text with shadow-only effect
Select the Type Tool (T), type your title (e.g., “ADVENTURE”), set Color: White and increase size as needed
Go to Layer → Layer Style → Drop Shadow: Opacity 100%, Distance 0, adjust Size (softness) to taste
In Layer Style → Blending Options, set Fill Opacity to 0% so only the drop shadow remains visible; click OK
Duplicate the text (Ctrl+J/Cmd+J), set Opacity and Fill back up to 100%, add a Layer Mask, then use a black-to-white Linear Gradient on the mask to fade the text for a blended look
Optional: Refine the overall mood
Adjust texture layer Opacity or try Screen/Multiply/Overlay variations
Tweak the Gradient adjustment Angle/Scale and Opacity
Fine-tune mask gradients on photo and text layers for a cohesive blend
