A fade is a map, not a blur
Every point between the handles receives a different share of the upper frame. Before the first handle the base is untouched; after the second the upper frame is complete. Between them the share rises smoothly from zero to one. Neither photograph is softened, so detail remains sharp on both sides of the join.
Build the transition in this order
- Choose the frameKeep the dimensions of the base unless the larger canvas is intentional. Cover usually gives the cleanest pair because neither side leaves empty bars.
- Place the seamMove the line onto a quiet part of the picture: open sky, water, an out-of-focus wall or another area without faces and lettering.
- Set the featherPull the handles apart until the boundary disappears, then stop. An unnecessarily wide feather makes both photographs look low-contrast through the middle.
Where the method reaches its limit
A fade does not understand objects and will happily make a person or a line of type half transparent. It is strongest when the composition already gives the transition somewhere quiet to live.
Questions people ask
What do the two mask handles mean?
The first handle is where the upper photograph is absent and the second is where it becomes fully present. The distance between them is the feather. Put them close together for a visible seam; pull them apart for a slow dissolve.
Can the fade run from top to bottom?
Yes. Rotate the line by dragging the handles into a vertical arrangement. A diagonal line is useful when the natural boundary in the photographs is a roof, ridge or shoreline rather than an upright edge.
Why do the frames need similar exposure?
A gradient can hide an edge, but it cannot hide a large jump in brightness or colour temperature. Match the two photographs first when one is much warmer, darker or more saturated than the other.