Adding photos to a video without affecting the audio track

Hello. I am using Premiere Elements 2022 on Windows 10. I am creating a video eulogy to be played at a memorial service.  I have recorded the video by talking into the camera. My challenge is to add photos of the deceased at certain points in the eulogy. I do not want to interrupt the existing audio track. I just want the photos to appear on the screen. I would like the portions of the screen not taken up by a photo to be blank. I understand that I can add the photos as "clips" on video two, but when I do that, the photo is superimposed on the video, which means you can see my two elbows in the frame. If I add the photos to video one, the photo shows properly, but the audio is blank for the length of time the video is displayed. Is there a solution to this difficulty? I am extremely frustrated. Many thanks.