Opening a file as a LAYER

[filmguy123]

I have a whole bunch of photos that I want to stitch together. To do so, I need all of them in one document as different layers, so I can auto-align layers.

Rather than opening each picture, selecting all, copying, and then pasting into the document, is there a way to just open the JPG picture file and have it imported directly into the current document as a layer?

[filmguy123]

Ok I missed the File>Automate>Photomerge, that takes care of it for Photo-stitch.

However, I am still wondering, is there a way to open a file as a layer instead of as a file, and then copying/pasting it into the document to make it another layer? That would be nice...