Photoshop Collages In 5 Easy Steps

Years ago, when I tried to make a collage with blended edges (as opposed to David Hockney style) I would use a layer mask with a brush to try to smooth out the edges,  with limited success. The quick tutorial below really works.

Collages In 5 Easy Steps

• Add a layer mask to the image you want to blend. With the mask selected, apply a gradient filter that runs from black to transparent. This creates a smooth transition and allows one image to fade naturally into the other.

• Adjust the gradient direction and length until most of the edges blend more easily into the background or neighboring layers.

• Once the general blend looks good, switch to the brush tool while staying on the same layer mask. Use a soft-edged brush at a lower opacity to fine-tune the transition.

• Paint with black to hide parts of the edge more strongly, or with white to reveal details if you’ve hidden too much.

• Continue refining until the edge looks clean and natural, giving your collage a seamless, polished finish.

Below is a walk around Balboa Beach, CA

There are over a dozen actual photos here.  They were all taken with my cell phone.  The updated versions of Lightroom and Photoshop give you plenty of power to turn each snapshot into a great photo.

In some cases I fully blended the lines.

Sometimes I left a slight edge.

On occasion I used less than 100% opacity.

A good step by step video is here:  Build A Collage, Photoshop Cafe, Collin Smith

If you consider a collage a type of creative photography, see this blog post as well.