Work in pixels first

Compare the PNG dimensions with the space it will occupy in the final image. A 7008-pixel-wide file has room to span a 6000-pixel-wide canvas without stretching. If the same effect occupies only a small corner, you can scale it down and keep the rest of the photograph at its full size.

Changing a DPI or PPI number without resampling does not change the pixel count. For a print calculation, divide the pixel dimension by the intended pixels per inch. For example, 6000 pixels at 300 ppi corresponds to 20 inches. The appropriate print density depends on the output and viewing distance.

Check the dimensions of the file you are using

Landscape: 7008 × 4672 px. Portrait: 4672 × 7008 px. Square: 5760 × 5760 px. Dimensions are width × height. Each PNG comes in one orientation; the same image is not repeated in every shape. The included file index gives its exact dimensions. Website previews are smaller than the download files.

Choose the orientation that suits your placement. A portrait file can provide height for a standing subject, while a landscape file leaves more room across a wide composition. The dimensions tell you how much space is available; inspect the visible texture to judge whether it suits the image.

Allow for the crop before you commit

A background that fits the canvas can still lose useful space when you crop it or reposition the subject. Check the final aspect ratio early, especially when one image needs to work as both a wide banner and a tall social post.

Keep the background and subject on separate layers. Repositioning an editable background is easier than rebuilding a flattened composite. For a textured surface, watch how its grain or fibres compare with the product as you change its size.

Inspect transparent edges against the photograph

Fog, smoke and physical particles use PNG transparency. Place the layer over your actual photograph when you check the edges: a faint fringe may be obvious against a dark wall and almost invisible over a light sky.

Inspect the visible plume and its fine outer wisps. Keep the PNG transparency intact, and use a separate layer mask to shape the effect around your subject. Judge the result over the photograph as well as at a close view.

Check the final output, not just a zoomed-in view

Review the composite at the size at which it will be seen. A texture that feels strong while you are editing may become too quiet in a small export; a scratch that looks subtle on a large canvas may cross an important face detail after cropping.

1. Save an editable working file before exporting.
2. Check the final crop and the space around the subject.
3. Inspect an edge, a quiet gradient and an area of texture.
4. Preview the exported image at its intended display size.
5. Adjust the effect strength in the working file if the export needs a different balance.