# Image Soft Light Blend Apply soft light blend mode between two images for gentle, subtle contrast enhancements > Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-soft-light - **Category:** Design - **Keywords:** image, soft light, blend, subtle, gentle, contrast, composite, soften ## Overview The Image Soft Light Blend tool allows you to merge two images using a soft light blending mode, creating gentle, professional-grade contrast enhancements and subtle lighting effects. ## Inputs - **Base Image** (file): Base image that will be blended with soft light - **Overlay Image** (file): Overlay image for soft light blending - **Overlay Opacity** (range): Opacity of the overlay image (0.0 to 1.0) - **Output Format** (select): Output format for the result image (PNG recommended for transparency) - **Quality (1-100)** (number): Output quality for lossy formats ## When to use - When you want to add a subtle glow or texture overlay to a base photograph. - When you need to enhance the contrast of an image without harsh clipping or color distortion. - When creating composite images that require a natural, organic integration between layers. ## How it works - Upload your base image and the overlay image you wish to blend. - Adjust the overlay opacity slider to control the intensity of the soft light effect. - Select your preferred output format and quality settings. - Process the images to generate your blended result. ## Use cases - Adding subtle film grain or light leak textures to digital photography. - Enhancing depth in flat graphic designs by overlaying soft shadows or highlights. - Blending two photos to create a dreamy, ethereal artistic composition. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the soft light blend mode? Soft light is a blending mode that darkens or lightens colors depending on the overlay image, resulting in a subtle, diffused contrast effect similar to shining a spotlight through a filter. ### Can I control how strong the effect is? Yes, you can use the 'Overlay Opacity' slider to adjust the intensity of the blend from 0.0 (no effect) to 1.0 (full intensity). ### Which file formats are supported? The tool supports JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, and TIFF formats for both input and output. ### Does this tool support transparency? Yes, if you choose PNG as your output format, the tool will preserve transparency in your final image. ### Is there a file size limit? Each uploaded image must be 10MB or smaller. ## Related tools - [Image Blending Effect](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-add-blending): Blend multiple images together using various blend modes for creative compositions and effects - [CLAHE Histogram Equalization](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-clahe): Apply Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization for local contrast enhancement - [Image Color Burn Blend](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-color-burn): Apply color burn blend mode between two images for dramatic darkening and intense color effects - [Image Color Dodge Blend](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-color-dodge): Apply color dodge blend mode between two images for bright, ethereal and glowing effects - [Image Composite](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-composite): Composite multiple images together with precise control over position, opacity, and blend modes - [Image Gaussian Blur](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-gaussian): Apply Gaussian blur kernel for smooth noise reduction and image softening with precise control - [Image Hard Light Blend](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-hard-light): Apply hard light blend mode between two images for strong, intense contrast and vivid effects - [Image Adaptive Threshold](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/image-adaptive-threshold): Apply adaptive threshold operation that calculates threshold for small regions, suitable for varying lighting conditions ## Samples - [Web Image Processing Python Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/web-image-processing-python): Web Python image processing examples using PIL/Pillow including reading, saving, resizing, and format conversion - [Web Image Processing TypeScript Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/web-image-processing-typescript): Web TypeScript image processing examples including image read/save, scaling, and format conversion - [Android Image Processing Java Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/android-image-processing-java): Android Java image processing examples including reading/saving images, scaling, and format conversion - [Android Image Processing Kotlin Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/android-image-processing-kotlin): Android Kotlin image processing examples including reading/saving images, scaling, and format conversion ## Related content - [Image Blend Modes and Compositing Tools](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/image-blend-modes-and-compositing-tools): Choose a blend or compositing mode, align source layers, compare looks, and verify halo, color, and alpha behavior at delivery size.