Blending Images with Blend If

Click here to download 4 Textures:

Blend with Blend If

I have done quite a few tutorials about the powerful tool, Blend If. I have shown many technical ways to use it, from Noise Reduction and Sharpening to the basics and better vignettes, but I have yet to show you how to use it in a creative way. In today's tutorial, I will show you how to merge two photos and make them blend seamlessly together, it is pretty wild!

As you can see in the tutorial example, the barn image appears to be perfectly applied to only the highlight areas of the peeling paint texture below it. This makes it look like it has been painted on an old wall. With masking this would be very tricky, even the automated selective masking using the midtones of the layer below can't quite get the job done. With Blend If the blending of the two photos took seconds. There is far more control in the Blend If settings than traditional masking can afford.

Along with today's tutorial, I have 4 textures that you are free tot download and use on your images.

[emilianojoanes]

During the short space of time I have subscribed to your site it has been a delight learning photography from another perspective and your recent Blending Images with Blend If is a blast.

I have been a photojournalist now retired but the urge to take pictures continues and learning what you have to offer totally free is simply amazing! You must be one of those Angels on earth posing as human. Thanks for the good work you offer to us earthlings. May God bless you always.

Sincerely,

Emiliano

[TWESHELLSHOCKR]

Now this is sweet. A whole new layer of learning in photoshop.

[carlharrison]

Nice work. Blend-IF does baffle me but you have explained it very well - thank you.

[visualthequepresents]

I see a video camera with a Rhode mic attached through a grip in your background, Blake. Do you also do video tutorials or make video contents other than these? Sorry if I overstepped a bit...was curious, just... :)

[stephenspiteri_zunkus]

Really good. At first I thought that this is overkill and the same effect can be achieved with making a darken layer and lighten layer from that texture and putting them on top of the barn image. But this is ingenious in that it is so quick. no need to make a while lot of adjustments and masks. I have to get my head around to using these blend if techniques more.

[OORVOKKI]

Thank you for video and textures..now i go and see again your blowup your mind with blend if.

[stanleykho]

why am i not be able to download the textures?...anyone here can advise?....Thanks!

[ritakelley]

Blend IF also works with clouds close up or fog and any other image to make an object appear to be wrapped in the clouds.

[moistskin]

when should a texture layer sit on top of an image layer and when should a texture layer sit underneath an image layer. in some of your youtube videos (this video), you have the texture layer on the bottom, in videos where you use high-pass filters, you have the texture layer on top of the image

[Blatta]

What is the minimum size of a room where one photography with studio flashes?