Blending Shadows

You are welcome, Sean.

To use the palest inner path of the Blend in connexion with a photo, you may:

1) With the Direct Selection Tool (after deselecting the Blend if selected), Click the inner path, then Ctrl/Cmd+C+F+X+F to bring a copy up on top of the Blend as an independent path;

2) Change the colour to white, this will give you the photo area in white;

3) Something like (or similar):

3a) Place the photo in front, adapt (in size) and align to 2), which will give you the full photo in front of everything, or

3b) Place the photo in back, adapt (in size), ShiftClick 2) and Ctrl/Cmd+7 to use 2) as a Clipping Path for a Clipping Mask with you photo, which you can move about to align with 2) for the desired part to be shown (within the frame),

3c) Select both 2) and the Blend and in the Transparency palette (flyout) click (Make) Opacity Mask with Clip unticked and Invert Mask ticked, this will give you an empty frame to place the photo in if it fits within the outer path of the frame, also for photo insertion on a website or similar;

3d) If you wish to have it ready for placing a photo extending past the frame on a website or similar, you may get away with almost the same as in 3c), only starting by creating a background rectangle or something with the general background colour, which may be used to hide the outer parts of the photo.