How to use PhotoVim

Composite a Travel Portrait onto a Coastal Background

Level · Beginner Updated 2026-09-28

Combine a clean coastal background with a transparent portrait. Follow the placement, positioning, detail review and layered PSD save in a real editor recording.

Watch on YouTube

English editor and subtitles · 36 seconds

Pause at each step and follow the shortcuts on screen. The practice files contain separate source layers; the video is a recorded UI demonstration.

Watch the vertical Shorts tutorial English subtitles (SRT)

Steps

Tap a step picture to see it full size

  1. Create the document and place the landscape

    Press Ctrl+Alt+N (or File > New…). Type 1080 in Width and 1200 in Height, then click Create. Choose File > Place Embedded… and pick BACKGROUND_ORIGINAL.png. Drag inside the box to move it and drag a corner handle to resize it. Press Enter (or double-click the image) to finish.

    Where to click — Create the document and place the landscape
    Create the document and place the landscape — Composite a Travel Portrait onto a Coastal Background

  2. Place the portrait

    Choose File > Place Embedded… and pick WOMAN_ORIGINAL_ALPHA.png. Drag inside the box to move it and drag a corner handle to resize it. Press Enter (or double-click the image) to finish. Keep her proportions - only drag the corner handles.

    Where to click — Place the portrait
    Place the portrait — Composite a Travel Portrait onto a Coastal Background

  3. Line her up with the railing

    Press V for the Move tool and drag her so she stands at the railing. Press the arrow keys to nudge her 1 px at a time.

    Line her up with the railing — Composite a Travel Portrait onto a Coastal Background

  4. Check and save

    Press Z for the Zoom tool and click on the area you want to check. Press Ctrl+0 (View > Fit on Screen) to see the whole picture again. Press Ctrl+Alt+S (File > Save a Copy…) and choose PSD to keep an editable layered copy.

    Where to click — Check and save
    Where to click — Check and save
    Check and save — Composite a Travel Portrait onto a Coastal Background
Worth knowing

If a browser shortcut takes over, use the matching editor menu command. Keep the source files and practice on a copy.

Try it in the editor

Questions

Do I need Photoshop for this tutorial?

No. Every step is done in PhotoVim in your browser, with nothing to install. Menu names and shortcuts follow Photoshop, so the steps look familiar if you already use it.

How do I keep the person's proportions when scaling?

Drag only the corner handles of the placement box. PhotoVim keeps the ratio by default.