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How to Create a Double Exposure Effect in Photoshop Elements

4 min read

What Is a Double Exposure and Why Would You Make One?

You have probably seen those artistic portraits where a person's silhouette is filled with trees, flowers, or a meaningful landscape. This dreamy technique is called a double exposure, and it started in film photography when two images were layered onto the same negative.

The wonderful news? You can create this effect easily in Photoshop Elements, and the results make stunning gifts. Imagine a portrait of your grandchild blended with autumn leaves, or a memorial photo of a parent filled with their favourite garden flowers. These images become treasured keepsakes that tell a deeper story than either photo alone.

Let me walk you through exactly how to create your own double exposure, step by step.

Choosing Your Two Photos

Before we open Photoshop Elements, you need to pick two images that will work well together.

Your Base Photo (Usually a Portrait)

Choose a photo with a clear silhouette and simple background. Portraits work beautifully, especially:

  • Side profiles of faces
  • Full body shots against a plain wall or sky
  • Photos where the person stands out clearly from the background

The simpler the background, the easier your project will be.

Your Fill Photo (The Texture or Scene)

This is the image that will show through your subject. Consider:

  • Nature scenes like forests, flowers, or ocean waves
  • Meaningful locations like a family home or vacation spot
  • Textures like clouds, bokeh lights, or fabric patterns

Photos with lots of interesting detail work better than plain images.

Step-by-Step: Creating Your Double Exposure

Step 1: Open Your Base Portrait

  1. 1Open Photoshop Elements and switch to Advanced mode using the tabs at the top
  2. 2Go to File then Open and select your portrait photo
  3. 3If your portrait has a busy background, you may want to select just the person first using Select then Subject

Step 2: Convert to Black and White (Optional but Recommended)

Double exposures often look most striking when the portrait is black and white:

  1. 1Go to Enhance then Convert to Black and White
  2. 2Choose a style that gives good contrast — Portraits usually works well
  3. 3Click OK

This step is optional, but it helps the fill image show through more dramatically.

Step 3: Add Your Fill Photo as a New Layer

  1. 1Go to File then Place and select your nature or texture photo
  2. 2The image appears on your canvas with handles around it
  3. 3Drag the corners to resize it so it covers your entire portrait
  4. 4Press Enter or click the green checkmark to confirm placement

Now look at your Layers panel on the right. You should see your fill photo sitting above your portrait.

Step 4: Change the Blend Mode

This is where the magic happens:

  1. 1Make sure your fill photo layer is selected in the Layers panel
  2. 2Find the dropdown menu at the top of the Layers panel that says Normal
  3. 3Click it and choose Screen

Suddenly your images blend together. The fill photo appears inside the lighter areas of your portrait while the darker areas stay visible.

Try other blend modes too:

  • Lighten creates a softer, more subtle blend
  • Overlay produces a more dramatic, high-contrast result
  • Soft Light gives a gentle, dreamy quality

There is no wrong answer — choose whatever looks most beautiful to you.

Step 5: Adjust Position and Opacity

With the fill layer still selected:

  1. 1Use the Move tool (press V) to reposition the texture where it looks best — perhaps centering flowers over the face or trees filling the hair
  2. 2Lower the Opacity slider in the Layers panel if the effect feels too strong — try 70 or 80 percent for a gentler blend

Step 6: Fine-Tune with Levels

If your blend looks muddy or washed out:

  1. 1Click on your portrait layer (the bottom layer)
  2. 2Go to Enhance then Adjust Lighting then Levels
  3. 3Drag the black slider slightly right to deepen the shadows
  4. 4Drag the white slider slightly left to brighten the highlights
  5. 5Click OK

This increases contrast and makes the double exposure effect more pronounced.

Ideas to Inspire Your First Project

Once you understand the basics, possibilities open up everywhere:

  • Blend a wedding portrait with roses or the wedding venue
  • Combine a pet photo with their favourite outdoor spots
  • Create a memorial image using a loved one's portrait filled with meaningful flowers or a cherished location
  • Make a travel keepsake by blending your portrait with the destination landscape

Saving Your Creation

When you are happy with your double exposure:

  1. 1Go to File then Save As
  2. 2Save a Photoshop format copy first to preserve your layers for future editing
  3. 3Then save a JPEG copy for printing or sharing

You Have Created Something Truly Special

Double exposures transform ordinary photos into art pieces that carry emotional weight. That portrait of your grandchild filled with autumn colours? It becomes a gift no store could ever sell. The memorial image blending your parent with their garden? It honours their memory in a deeply personal way.

This technique takes just a few minutes once you have practised it, but the results feel like professional artwork.

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