How to Add People to a Photo: 9 Steps
Step 1: Select a photo editing tool
There are many photo editing tools available, such as Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, and Canva. Choose one that suits your needs and level of expertise.
Step 2: Open the original photo
Open the photo where you want to add people in your chosen photo editing tool. Make sure you are working on a high-resolution copy of the image to maintain quality.
Step 3: Set up layers
Create separate layers for the original photo and the person or people you want to add. This will help you edit each element without affecting the others.
Step 4: Choose the photos of people to add
Select clear, high-resolution photos of the people you want to add. Preferably, choose images with similar lighting conditions as the original picture.
Step 5: Cut out the person or people from their backgrounds
Using your preferred editing tool, carefully cut out the person or people from their original backgrounds. Pay close attention to details like hair and clothing to ensure a clean cutout.
Step 6: Place the new person or people in the original photo
Drag and drop or copy and paste the cutout(s) onto the layer above the original photo. Position them realistically within the scene by resizing or rotating as needed.
Step 7: Adjust lighting and colors
To help blend your added person or people into the original photo, adjust their lighting and colors to match their surroundings. Tools like brightness, contrast, and color balance can help create a cohesive look.
Step 8: Refine edges and blending
Use tools like feathering, blur, or opacity adjustment on layer masks to subtly blend your inserted subject(s) with their surroundings. This helps create smooth transitions between layers for a natural look.
Step 9: Save your work
Once satisfied with your edit, save your image in a file format that best preserves quality, such as PNG or a high-resolution JPEG. Also, keep a copy of the edited image with layers in case you need to make further adjustments in the future.
With these steps, you can successfully add people to your photos, creating unique and interesting images for your personal or professional projects.