Help! Combine photos into 1; collage

[sckalk]

Hi. I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction here. I would like to take 4 or 5 photos and combine them into 1 collage like photo and save it in a jpeg file. I have tried to open a NEW Blank File and then drag the photos, that I want, to the blank file from the photo bin......but it doesnt work. Does anyone know how to do this??? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Oh, I have Photoshop Elements 4.
Thanks
Amy:confused:

[Cmcburnett]

Don't know why you can't drop and drag. Have you tried to create a new document, make it large to put all your picturs on, and then copy each picture and paste into new document?

[nkeevers]

Go up to Window/Image/Tile or Cascade. You can use either; I use cascade. Then you can select each picture individually be selecting Move;click on that image, hold your left mouse bottom down, and drag the image into the new blank document (you will see a little plus sign on the blank document just before you let up on the mouse button). From there, you can then resize,etc.

[sckalk]

Thank you! :)

[Wendy]

Hi ...

... and welcoome to the forum :)

Let us know how you go on ... and do post your final version of the montage ..

Wendy

[annc]

Welcome to the forum. Making collages/montages, even for coasters, is one thing I did almost from the start and thoroughly enjoy. I tend to use the copy and paste method, but must try the others.

[annc]

I meant to say that I then use 'free transform' - ctrl-0 makes the whole lot visible on the screen. it took me ages to work out how to apply the transform though!

[johnfranklin]

You must select the entire document (Control A) before you can copy it (Control C) I really wish everyone would get the idea of tiling all the images in the editor out of their heads. All it accomplishes is to clog up the editing space with useless tiny images. Then forget about "free transform", it is exactly the same as the move tool, exactly! Let me suggest this method. Construct your recipient canvas. Okay we,re that far already. Next open the files you intend to paste on your background. Make sure the photo bin (bottom of screen) is extended, thumbnails of the open files showing. (Click on boundry bar opens it, click again,close). Then click on the first photo you want to transfer. It opens full size! Hit "Control A" (select all) Hit "Control C" (copy to the clipboard) Then click on the background, it opens full screen. Hit "Control V" (paste) your photo appears on a new layer, Then hit "V" The Move Tool. Click & Drag inside the box to position, or click on the borderlines or the little squares to resize the image. when you're happy hit >enter< and click on any other tool to get rid of the move tool boundaries. Click on your next thumbnail, it opens, Control A then Control C, switch to the background, Control V, then V etcetera untill you have copied all the images onto the canvas you desire. Now, when you reopen a file from the photobin it opens at the same zoom size, with your selections intact, EXACTLY as it was. I really can't explain it any better or an tell you an easier way to do it. Control A, Control C, CLick (open background) Control V then V this whole process takes about 15 seconds per picture, but I assume there will be a rebuttal anyway. Best of luck.

[cpittmx]

Ok, I have not been playing with this in awhile and I now forget how to combine photos. Im sure before I just dragged and dropped and then resized. now it will not put the the pic I am dragging in dropping into a new layer. I do not get it. I did select cascade instead of maximize already.

[Wendy]

Hi ...

Yes that is the way most of us do it ... drag, drop and resize.

When you did drag and drop did the image not move into the other image ... if not then it could be to do with the file format. Just check the image that you were trying to move ... Do image>Mode and check that it says RGB.

If it doesn't change it to RGB and then try again ... do let us know how you go on :)

Wendy

[johnfranklin]

I meant to say that I then use 'free transform' - ctrl-0 makes the whole lot visible on the screen. it took me ages to work out how to apply the transform though! Okay, In the editor Control "O" is open file. In the organizer, Control "O" opens the saved catalogue file. Free Transform is summoned with Control "T". As I stated in my previous post the Move Tool "V" will do the same thing. One less key to hit. It works exactly the same. "Free Transform" won't work on a background layer. When You're done positioning and sizing the image (With either tool) HIT >Enter<.

[kayser]

John- I think she was saying CTRL 0 as in zero...

[johnfranklin]

John- I think she was saying CTRL 0 as in zero...
My Mistake! I apologize. Explain to me why this needs to happen? I still think my way is easier than drag, drop, tile ,control "Zero" . As I said, using the command sequence I outlined in my post "bring on the marching ants" , the deed can be accomplished in 10 or 15 seconds without half a dozen images cluttering up the editor's workspace. Simply clicking on an image in the photo bin to open it, you have a shorter shortcut than that?
Has any body actually tried this method ? I have tried the others. Incidentally, I didn't concoct this method all on my own. It was outlined to me by a gentleman with a masters degree in various imaging and computer skills. He works as a college photo instructor and moonlights as a wedding photographer, a darn good one at that.

[Wendy]

Hi John ...

In Elements there are many different ways of doing things .. people just tend to use the method they are most comfortable with.

As indeed you do :)

Wendy

[cpittmx]

yes, it is on RGB. and it wont let me drag and drop. when i drop its like i selected just that photo and the other one goes behind it still in its own window. i know i did this before and when i droped it put it ontop of the background and created a new layer for what i had dropped.

[jo]

Hey Curt. I don't tile or cascade -- just one image in the working window -- but the photo bin is open. Yet another way to do the same thing. Kev mentioned this in an older thread.

Drag the photo down from the working window to the image in the photo bin that's your target. That target photo will then show up in your work space and you'll see the layers for it in the layers pallette. You might have to move the layers around or resize the new one.

[johnfranklin]

yes, it is on RGB. and it wont let me drag and drop. when i drop its like i selected just that photo and the other one goes behind it still in its own window. i know i did this before and when i droped it put it ontop of the background and created a new layer for what i had dropped.

I don't want to further antagonize anyone by stating the obvious, but here goes: are you flattening the image before trying to paste it, and are you selecting the whole canvas of the photo you are pasteing? Delete any stored selections, flatten the image, select the canvas, then paste it, after that's done, go back and undo the flatten and delete in image 1.

[cpittmx]

jo, thanks. now i remember thats the way i did it...i also wasnt using cascade it is drag from the open pic and drop it on the one in the bin. this is the easiest method for me..thanks for reminding me. I knew I was just dragging and dropping before but could not remember how i did it!

[cpittmx]

I don't want to further antagonize anyone by stating the obvious, but here goes: are you flattening the image before trying to paste it, and are you selecting the whole canvas of the photo you are pasteing? Delete any stored selections, flatten the image, select the canvas, then paste it, after that's done, go back and undo the flatten and delete in image 1.


yes the image was flattened...and I could do it with copy/paste method. I wanted to use the drag and drop method as it seems faster to me. I just didnt remember that it was drag from work area and drop onto pic in photo bin I was trying other way around.