Why can’t we paste a cutout from a photo onto another photo?

[mebehere]

I know we can cut out, or isolate, subjects and paste them into a note or something. But why can’t we paste a cutout onto another photo?

Like, I’d like to paste a cutout of my cat onto a photo I took of Mount Rushmore. What’s the deal?

 

[chabig]

macOS doesn't come with photo editing software. But you can fake it with Pages or Keynote.

 

[mebehere]

macOS doesn't come with photo editing software. But you can fake it with Pages or Keynote.

I’m not exactly sure what you mean. I’m asking, on an iPhone or iPad, why can you copy a subject, but only paste it to a note or an iMessage or something? I’d like to be able to paste a copied subject onto another photo in my library. Just through the photos app.

Thanks for your reply, though.

 

[chabig]

Very simply put, the Photos app is not a photo editor.

 

[mebehere]

Very simply put, the Photos app is not a photo editor.

It doesn’t make sense, though. I can cut, isolate, copy a subject in the photos app. But I can’t paste it on another photo. So it is a (rudimentary) editor, but lacks a rather basic similar feature. Paste. You can copy, but you can’t paste. It’s illogical.

 

[Isamilis]

I know we can cut out, or isolate, subjects and paste them into a note or something. But why can’t we paste a cutout onto another photo?

Like, I’d like to paste a cutout of my cat onto a photo I took of Mount Rushmore. What’s the deal?

Not yet.

 

[mebehere]

Not yet.

Well, hopefully soon. It only makes sense as a feature. But I’ve not seen this brought up by anyone.

When I got my first version of photoshop (pirated) in 1999, I isolated a photo of my dog and put him on the Empire State Building. 1999.

If you can isolate a subject in the photos app, from a photo, you should be able to paste it anywhere, especially onto another photo. We’re not necessarily getting into layers here, but come on.

 

[chabig]

...you should be able to paste it anywhere, especially onto another photo.

If it's truly important to you, you can do that in Pages or Keynote, then screenshot the result.

 

[mebehere]

If it's truly important to you, you can do that in Pages or Keynote, then screenshot the result.

That‘s too many steps. I appreciate your replies, but I feel that you would be better served not replying anymore. It’s a simple concept that should be simple to execute. You go on to another thread and take care now.

 

[James_C]

I can see why your request would be useful, however I suspect the reason that you can't currently do it in Photo's is that in many cases simply cutting out and pasting part of an image in one to another is likely to look pretty bad. Differences in lighting, exposure, colour balance and scaling would likely make it obvious that you have cut and pasted from another image. This is what dedicated photo editing app's are for, and generally requires the app to support layers so different corrections can be applied to better blend the two images. Photos's would require a lot more functionality than it currently has for most people to get a decent result.

 

[mebehere]

I can see why your request would be useful, however I suspect the reason that you can't currently do it in Photo's is that in many cases simply cutting out and pasting part of an image in one to another is likely to look pretty bad. Differences in lighting, exposure, colour balance and scaling would likely make it obvious that you have cut and pasted from another image. This is what dedicated photo app's are for, and generally requires the app to support layers so different corrections can be applied to better blend the two images. So photos's would require a lot more functionality than it is intended for at the moment for most people to get a decent result.

I get what you’re saying, but it’s a phone. If it looks wonky, who cares? It would just be a fun little way to do fun little phone things.

 

[Deifie]

Try this shortcut, maybe it is what you want...

https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/x5l2xj

 

[mebehere]

Try this shortcut, maybe it is what you want...

https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/x5l2xj

Thank you! Still, too much work. I expect to be able to open a photo in photos. Cut. Open another photo in photos and paste. I find it hard to believe this feature doesn’t already exist.

 

[tornadowrangler]

What answer do you want? Photos doesn't do the thing you want it to do. Yeah it would be cool if it did, but it doesn't. People were just trying to help by offering suggestions on how to do the thing you wanted.

Of course, you did not ask people for help with doing the thing, you just asked "why" Photos can't do the thing and also "what's the deal". The "why" is that Apple hasn't added that feature to the Photos app. Why they didn't add it, WE do not know for sure. You'll have to ask them. I don't think anyone here can provide an answer that would satisfy you.

"What's the deal?" might be that Apple only wants to provide basic functionality for their built in apps and leave the rest to 3rd party app developers.

Now, if you just want to complain, that's fine, but then don't ask questions if no possible answer would satisfy you. Just say you're not happy about it and let us all move on.

 

[PegasusTenma]

Thank you! Still, too much work. I expect to be able to open a photo in photos. Cut. Open another photo in photos and paste. I find it hard to believe this feature doesn’t already exist.

Well, is not possible. People have already offered you alternatives yet you are still asking for something that isn't possible. Photos is not a photograph editing app and Apple doesn't tend to release features that have wonky results, like pasting a picture in other would do. Maybe they are working on it for a future iPhone or maybe not. The fact that you haven't seen many people complain about it should give you some clues on if people and Apple think this is something worth pursuing at all.

EDIT: Actually the person above me said everything I wanted to say but better.

 

[mebehere]

What answer do you want? Photos doesn't do the thing you want it to do. Yeah it would be cool if it did, but it doesn't. People were just trying to help by offering suggestions on how to do the thing you wanted.

Of course, you did not ask people for help with doing the thing, you just asked "why" Photos can't do the thing and also "what's the deal". The "why" is that Apple hasn't added that feature to the Photos app. Why they didn't add it, WE do not know for sure. You'll have to ask them. I don't think anyone here can provide an answer that would satisfy you.

"What's the deal?" might be that Apple only wants to provide basic functionality for their built in apps and leave the rest to 3rd party app developers.

Now, if you just want to complain, that's fine, but then don't ask questions if no possible answer would satisfy you. Just say you're not happy about it and let us all move on.

Thank you!

 

[mebehere]

Well, is not possible. People have already offered you alternatives yet you are still asking for something that isn't possible. Photos is not a photograph editing app and Apple doesn't tend to release features that have wonky results, like pasting a picture in other would do. Maybe they are working on it for a future iPhone or maybe not. The fact that you haven't seen many people complain about it should give you some clues on if people and Apple think this is something worth pursuing at all.

EDIT: Actually the person above me said everything I wanted to say but better.

Thank you very much!

 

[now i see it]

There are several free apps in the App Store that can do all kinds of manipulations - including stacking images.
So what if the photos app doesn’t do it. Just use another app.

 

[tornadowrangler]

Thank you!

You're welcome.

How about we add to this conversation by suggesting other features it would be cool if Photos had?

I think it would be cool if you could ask it to put together collages or slideshows with a prompt. Such as, "Make a 2 minute long slideshow of Mike and Sully around Christmas through the years set to holiday music."