How to Upload Files as Layers Into Photoshop Cs6 Without Using Bridge

Open up Multiple Images As Layers In Photoshop

Learn how easy it is to open multiple images at once into a Photoshop document, with each image placed on its own layer, and how to add more images to the document as y'all need them!

Whether we're compositing images, creating collages or designing layouts, we often need to load multiple images into the same Photoshop document. And each prototype needs to appear on its own layer inside that document. Only that'southward not how Photoshop works when nosotros open up multiple files. Instead, each file opens in its own divide certificate, forcing us to motion the images ourselves from one document to another.

But there is a way to open multiple images at one time into the same document using a command called Load Layers into Stack. And we can add more files to the document equally we demand them using a dissimilar control known as Place Embedded. In this tutorial, I'll show you how both of these features work. We'll also look at a few options in Photoshop's Preferences that brand placing images into your document fifty-fifty faster. And as a bonus, I'll stop things off by blending my images into a simple double exposure effect.

I'm using Photoshop 2020 but you tin can follow forth with any contempo version.

This is lesson 6 in my Layers Learning Guide. Permit'due south go started!

How to load multiple images as layers in Photoshop

Let's start by learning how to load multiple images as layers into the same Photoshop document. For that, we use a control called Load Files into Stack. And not only does this command load your images, but information technology even creates the Photoshop document for you! Hither's how to utilise it.

Step ane: Choose "Load Files into Stack"

In Photoshop, become up to the File carte in the Card Bar, choose Scripts, and so choose Load Files into Stack:

Going to File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack.

Step 2: Select your images

Then in the Load Layers dialog box, set the Apply selection to either Files or Folder. Files lets you lot select individual images within a folder, while Binder will load every image in the binder you select. I'll cull Files.

Then click the Browse push:

Setting Use to either Files or Folder and so clicking Browse.

Deject documents or local files

If you're using Photoshop CC 2020 or later, Photoshop may ask if you want to load a Cloud certificate or files stored on your estimator. I'll click the On your computer push:

Choosing to load files on my computer.

Selecting your images

So navigate to the binder that holds your images and choose the files you need. In my case, I'll select all three images in the folder.

Observe the names of my images. We accept "texture.jpg", "portrait.jpg" and "sunset.jpg". Photoshop volition use these names when naming the layers, so information technology's a good idea to rename your files first.

Once you lot have selected the images, click Open up:

Selecting the images to load into Photoshop.

And back in the Load Layers dialog box, the name of each file appears in the list:

The names of the images that volition exist loaded into Photoshop.

How to remove an image

If you selected an image by mistake and need to remove it, click on its proper name in the list then click the Remove push:

Yous can remove any images yous don't need.

Step 3: Click OK

Get out the two options at the bottom of the dialog box ("Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images" and "Create Smart Object afterward Loading Layers") unchecked.

Then click OK to load your images:

Clicking OK to load the files.

Photoshop creates a new document, and afterward a few seconds, the images are placed into it:

A new Photoshop certificate is created.

And in the Layers panel, each of your selected images appears on its own layer, with each layer named after the proper noun of the file:

The Layers panel showing each image on its own layer.

You can turn each layer on or off by clicking its visibility icon:

Use the visibility icons to show or hibernate layers.

How to place an image into a Photoshop certificate

So that's how to create a new Photoshop document and load multiple images into information technology. Now allow's learn how to add more images to the document using the Place Embedded command.

In the Layers panel, I'll delete my "portrait" layer by dragging it down onto the trash bin:

Deleting one of the layers.

Stride 1: Choose "Identify Embedded"

To add a new image to your certificate, go upwardly to the File bill of fare and choose Place Embedded.

In that location is as well a similar command chosen Place Linked which volition simply link to the file on your estimator. But to load the epitome directly into your document, choose Place Embedded:

Going to File > Place Embedded.

Pace two: Select your image

Select the image you lot desire to add together to the document and so click Place.

I'll choose my portrait prototype:

Selecting the image to identify into the document.

Step 3: Accept and close Gratuitous Transform

Now earlier Photoshop places the image, it first opens the Free Transform control so you can resize the image if needed:

Photoshop opens Free Transform earlier placing the image into the certificate.

Only in nearly cases, you can merely click the checkmark in the Options Bar to have the electric current size and shut Gratuitous Transform. You tin can too press the Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) cardinal on your keyboard:

Clicking the checkmark.

The paradigm is placed as a smart object

Photoshop places the epitome into the document. Merely notice in the Layers panel that the epitome appears non as a normal layer just equally a smart object, indicated by the icon in the lower correct of the thumbnail:

Photoshop places the epitome every bit a smart object.

Smart objects are very powerful. But they too have limitations, and the biggest 1 is that a smart object is not directly editable.

For case, I'll select the Rectangular Marquee Tool from the toolbar:

Selecting the Rectangular Marquee Tool.

And then I'll drag out a option effectually the woman's eyes:

Selecting part of the smart object.

Related: How to use the new Object Pick Tool in Photoshop CC 2020

I'll capsize the option by going upwards to the Select menu and choosing Changed:

Going to Select > Changed.

And and then I'll delete everything around my initial pick by pressing the Backspace (Win) / Delete (Mac) primal on my keyboard.

But instead of deleting part of the paradigm, Photoshop displays a warning that it could not complete my request because the smart object is non directly editable. I'll click OK to close information technology:

Photoshop could non edit the smart object.

Related: Learn how to edit smart objects!

How to catechumen a smart object to a normal layer

Then depending on what you'll be doing with the prototype, a smart object may non be what y'all want. In that instance, you'll demand to convert the smart object dorsum into a normal layer after y'all've placed information technology into your document.

To do that, right-click (Win) / Command-click (Mac) anywhere in the empty gray area beside the smart object'southward proper name:

Correct-clicking (Win) / Command-clicking (Mac) in the empty area.

And then choose Rasterize Layer from the menu:

Choosing the Rasterize Layer command.

The smart object icon disappears from the thumbnail, and nosotros now have a normal pixel layer:

The smart object has been converted to a pixel layer.

If I press Backspace (Win) / Delete (Mac) on my keyboard, this time Photoshop deletes the pick equally expected:

The choice was deleted after converting the smart object to a pixel layer.

How to make placing images into Photoshop faster

So now that nosotros know how to place an image into a certificate, allow's look at a few options in Photoshop's Preferences that can assistance you identify images even faster.

To open the Preferences on a Windows PC, go upwardly to the Edit carte du jour. On a Mac, go upwardly to the Photoshop card. From at that place, choose Preferences and so General:

Opening Photoshop's General Preferences.

Skip Transform when Placing

To foreclose Photoshop from opening Free Transform every time you place an prototype, turn on the Skip Transform when Placing option:

The "Skip Transform when Placing" option.

Always Create Smart Objects when Placing

To stop Photoshop from automatically converting images into smart objects, turn off Always Create Smart Objects when Placing. You lot tin can always convert a layer to smart object yourself when you need to:

The "Always Create Smart Objects when Placing" pick.

Resize Image During Place

And this third selection won't speed things upwards but it'due south definitely worth looking at. By default, if you place an image into a document and the image is larger than the sail size, Photoshop volition automatically resize the paradigm to fit the canvas. In other words, it will make your image smaller.

If that's not what yous want, and you lot would rather resize images yourself using Free Transform, and then uncheck Resize Image During Identify. When you're done, click OK to close the Preferences dialog box:

The "Resize Image During Place" option.

Bonus: Blending the layers to create a double exposure

So nosotros've learned how to load multiple images at once into a Photoshop document using the Load Files into Stack command, and how to add more than images using the Identify Embedded command. I'll finish off this tutorial by speedily blending my three images together to create a simple double exposure event.

I'thou starting with my portrait image at the top of the layer stack, which makes it the image that's visible in the certificate:

The portrait image. Credit: Adobe Stock.

Moving the sunset layer in a higher place the portrait

In the Layers panel, I'll click on my sunset layer and elevate it to a higher place the portrait layer:

Dragging the sunset higher up the portrait.

And at present my sunset image is visible:

The dusk image. Credit: Adobe Stock.

Irresolute the blend fashion

To blend the sunset in with the portrait, I'll change the blend mode of the sunset layer from Normal to Screen:

Changing the layer'southward blend manner to Screen.

The Screen alloy mode keeps the white areas of the portrait visible and reveals the sunset in the darker areas:

The upshot subsequently changing the blend fashion of the sunset layer to Screen.

Moving the texture layer to a higher place the sunset

Side by side, I'll drag my texture layer above the dusk layer:

Dragging the texture layer to the tiptop of the stack.

And now the texture paradigm is visible:

The texture image. Credit: Adobe Stock.

Changing the alloy manner and layer opacity

To hide the dark areas of the texture and continue only the lighter areas, I'll change its blend mode to Screen.

I'll besides lower the layer'southward Opacity downwards to effectually lxx%:

Irresolute the blend mode and lowering the opacity of the texture.

And hither's the outcome with the texture now composite into the effect:

The outcome after irresolute the blend mode of the sunset layer to Screen.

Related: Learn three easy ways to alloy images in Photoshop!

Merging the layers onto a new layer

Finally, to add a flake more contrast to the outcome, I'll merge all iii layers onto a new layer in a higher place them by pressing Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E on a Windows PC, or Shift+Control+Option+E on a Mac:

Merging the existing layers onto a new layer.

Learn more than: The essential Photoshop layers ability shortcuts!

Increasing the contrast

Then to increment the contrast, I'll go up to the Paradigm carte and I'll choose Auto Contrast:

Going to Image > Automobile Contrast.

And hither is my final result:

The final double exposure effect.

And at that place we have it! Check out my Layers Learning Guide to learn more about layers, or our Photoshop Basics or Photograph Effects section for more tutorials!

Other Stuff

© 2022 Photoshop Essentials.com.
For inspiration, not duplication.
Site design by Steve Patterson.
Photoshop is a trademark of Adobe Systems Inc.

smithbobbles.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/open-multiple-images-as-layers-in-photoshop/

Share this post