Field guide

Fading one photo into another

A successful fade is a spatial edit, not only an opacity change. The two frames need a reason to meet and enough common structure to make the transition legible.

Align the horizon, dominant verticals or subject position before drawing the gradient. A fade cannot hide double edges caused by incompatible geometry.

Balance exposure near the join. When one side is much brighter, the midpoint becomes a muddy veil instead of a gradual handover between pictures.

Choose transition width from detail scale. Fine texture tolerates a narrow blend; faces and architecture usually need a broader region or a boundary placed away from important features.

Inspect the composite in monochrome. If the seam becomes obvious without colour, luminance and structure are mismatched and hue adjustments alone will not fix it.