How to make a banner from several photos

A banner made from several photographs can show more than one product, place, or moment at a glance. But if every image competes for attention, the result can feel crowded or make its text hard to read.

Plan the layout around where the banner will appear, then combine the pictures as separate layers. The Photo Editor runs in your browser and gives you layers, selections, brushes, text, adjustments, and filters to build and refine the design.

Build the banner from your photos

Open the Photo Editor and start with a canvas that matches the banner's intended use. Check the required pixel dimensions and shape first. A wide website header, a social media cover, and a printed banner may all need different proportions.
Open the photograph you want to use as the base. Add each other photograph as a separate layer, rather than merging them immediately. Separate layers let you adjust the images independently while you arrange the composition.
Choose a layout before fine-tuning the pictures. A row of equal panels suits a set of similar images. For a more flexible design, give one main photograph most of the space and use smaller images to support it. Keep important faces, products, and other details away from the edges.
Arrange and size the photo layers so they fill the canvas without leaving accidental gaps. If an image needs a tighter view, use a selection to focus on the important part, and keep the original layer available until you are happy with the framing.
Add text only after the photographs are in place. Use a short heading, leave clear space around it, and make sure it contrasts with the image behind it. Review the whole banner at its intended display size, then export a finished copy in a format accepted by the destination.

Before exporting, keep a version with the layers intact if you may need to revise the banner. A flattened image is convenient to share, but its separate photos and text are no longer independently editable.

Choose a layout that fits the message

Equal photo panels

Divide the banner into evenly sized sections when the photographs have similar importance, such as a group of products or a before-and-after sequence. Use a consistent crop for each panel, and leave enough room around subjects so that faces or product details do not get cut off.

One main photo with supporting images

Make one image the focal point and arrange the others beside it or in smaller areas. This works well when one photograph tells the main story and the rest provide extra detail. Keep the smaller pictures large enough to recognize on a phone screen.

Photos blended into one scene

Overlap images or place them against a shared background for a more unified design. The edges can look abrupt if the photos have very different lighting or colors. Adjust brightness and color so the images feel related, but avoid changing them so much that important details become hard to recognize.

Banner with a text area

Reserve a calm part of the design for a title, date, or short call to action. Text over a detailed photograph is often difficult to read. If you need to place it over an image, choose an area with less visual detail and use a strong contrast between the letters and background.

Fix common banner problems

Match the canvas to the destination. If the banner looks too tall, too narrow, or unexpectedly cropped, check the required dimensions and aspect ratio. Starting with the right canvas helps prevent important content from being cut off when the banner is uploaded.
Give the images a clear order. If the design feels busy, decide which photograph should attract attention first. Make it larger or place it in the most prominent position, then reduce the size or visual weight of supporting images.
Reframe subjects that are cut off. A face or product near an image edge can disappear when you fit the layer to the banner. Adjust the layer's position and framing, and leave some space around important details in case the destination crops the edges.
Improve text contrast. If words disappear into a photograph, move them to a quieter area or choose a clearer text color. Keep the message short and large enough to read when the banner is displayed at a smaller size.
Check the original photo quality. A small image enlarged to fill a wide area can look soft or pixelated. Use a larger original when available, and avoid enlarging a photo beyond what its detail can support.
Export a new copy if the result looks wrong. Check the saved image at full size and compare its dimensions with the destination's requirements. Use a common format accepted by the site or service, and keep the layered project so you can make corrections without rebuilding the banner.

Make the banner readable at a glance

Design for the smallest size at which someone is likely to see the banner. A title that looks readable while you are editing may become tiny in a page header or on a phone. Zoom out in the editor to preview the overall balance, then check that the main image and message still stand out.

Leave a margin around text and important image details. Some websites crop banners differently on phones and computers, and a design that touches the edge may lose content. If the destination uses different crops for different screens, keep key words and faces near the center or within the stated safe area.

Photos and project files opened in the Photo Editor stay on your device while you work in the browser.