Elements Gradient Question

Can the Gradient tool in Photoshop Elements be used to gradually reveal another layer?

I'm trying to merge two pictures and I'd like to have one photo gradually transition to the other. They are both the exact same photos taken at the same time on a tripod with different exposures. One has good foreground and one good background.

I'm thinking that there must be a tool that will allow me to gently merge these two photos together instead of a raw deletion which seems to leave harsh lines where different exposures meet.

can the gradient tool be used to reveal the photo underneath?

Yes.

The lower layer contains an image. Another layer above that contains the other image. Now add a layer mask to the upper image. Now add a gradient to that mask.

HOWEVER, it's hard to say if that method is preferable for your particular problem. Can you post both pictures so we can see what's to be joined? Rather than a gradient, another method may be more applicable.

Ok. I have both images as layers. And I know how to use the selection brush tool to make a mask. But how do I get it into a layer above the images instead of right on the image? I'm new to this and that part I don't know.

Elements easily allows me to create a gradient layer but I see no easy way to create a Mask layer beyond putting the mask right on one of the photo layers.