Cropping issue...The subject is too large, help.

[Duggo]

Hiya,

When I use Photoshop Elements 1.0 [1. Uh Oh ], I find that when I do the amount of cropping required to a photograph, (to make a stronger photograph), doing so enlarges the subject disproportionately.

My question is: Is there some way to reduce the size of the subject back down to a normal size?

[DoubleE]

Duggo:

I don't have elements so hopefully someone who does will chime in as to how it's best handled in that particular program.

If you're using a point and shoot camera, does it have a macro mode? If so, I would suggest utilizing the macro option and move in closer and shoot it like you want it to look rather than trying to fix it in post processing.

[Duggo]

Duggo:

I don't have elements so hopefully someone who does will chime in as to how it's best handled in that particular program.

If you're using a point and shoot camera, does it have a macro mode? If so, I would suggest utilizing the macro option and move in closer and shoot it like you want it to look rather than trying to fix it in post processing.

Hiya Jerry and the group,

The problem is, my OLY C-2100UZ didn't come with grid lines that would assist me in framing my shots better, so eliminating post processing, (PP) is unlikely. And I'm not that good of a photographer, as to where, I could do what you suggest. (Shoot it the way you want the first time.)

Also, I didn't take the shot, that I am thinking of. The person who took the picture, might not have been aware of the crop factor inherent in digital cameras, and the very top of his head got clipped, as a result. In my opinion, that's too tight. So, when you have something like that to work with from the outset, then you crop that to 5x7, it looks out of proportion.

Does anyone know of a way to fix this in Photoshop? i.e. reduce the scale of the subject back to what it was? Is there someway to increase the negative space surrounding the subject?

[JoeKidd]

Duggo, if I understand correctly you want to change the "canvas size". Choose the Canvas Size command and the process is fairly simple. More detailed instructions here.

[Duggo]

I expanded the canvas, but the image size is the same, yet the they both have the same amount of pixels, when the dims are displayed for each.

I tried to do some cloning to fix the top of the head in the extra room created by the larger canvas, unfortunately it didn't work...

So, am I back to square one, and can't I round off the top of the head where there is none?

In other words, The image remains below where the extra room was created on the larger canvas, which doesn't seem to be doing me any good anyway...

[Duggo]

Anyone??

[JoeKidd]

I am not clear on what you're trying to accomplish. If you want to resize the image you have to resample it to your desired dimensions, either in pixels or linear measurements. The print size is determined by the pixels-per-inch. As far as artificially recreating the cropped out area of the image, I found the clone tool to be most useful, but the results are not always good. Just try experimenting and trial-and-error.

[Austin]

Duggo, you should try Picasa2 from google. It is free and easy to use. I have used Photo Elements before and did not really like it. Did your camera come with it's own software? My Olympus came with a software called Olypus Master. It's a decent program that does the job.

[slcsteve]

So......after one month finding my way around my new Canon G7, I turned the camera off and when I tried (operative word is tried) to turn it back on and it seems to have died - won't come back on. Called Canon customer service, reached a rep very quickly and a UPS shipping tag is on it's way. They informed me that it should be a 5-6 day turn aound. Well. it seems like a good camera and thus far no complaints about how Canon handles customer service. Now i'm back to my old standby Sony Mavica or Pentax OptioS, the one with the tiny viewing screen. Anyone else with a G series that's had a similar malfunction?

[DoubleE]

So......after one month finding my way around my new Canon G7, I tuned the camera off and when I tried (operative word is tried) to tuen it back on and it seems to have died - won't come back on. Called Canon customer service, reached a rep very quickly and a UPS shipping tag is on it's way. They informed me that it should be a 5-6 day turn aound. Well. it seems like a good camera and thus far no compalints about how Canon handles customr service. Now i'm back to my old standby Sony Mavica or Pentax OptioS, the one with the tiny viewing screen. Anyone else with a G series that's had a similar malfunction?

Steve:

I have a G7 and thankfully it's been problem free. They are great cameras (if they don't break) and hopefully you'll be up and running in no time. It has a great macro function which works well for SOTD pix. You can customize your settings and I just turn the dial to C1 and all my settings are ready to go specifically for the SOTD pix. Low resolution, custom white balance, macro settings, etc.

If you have any questions when you get it, give me a shout.

[Duggo]

I am not clear on what you're trying to accomplish. If you want to re-size the image you have to resample it to your desired dimensions, either in pixels or linear measurements. The print size is determined by the pixels-per-inch. As far as artificially recreating the cropped out area of the image, I found the clone tool to be most useful, but the results are not always good. Just try experimenting and trial-and-error.

Hi Rich,

Thanks so much for the post.

I guess you gathered I'm quite the novice when it comes to Photoshop.

First objective

I'd like to be able to a 5x7 out of an image that I take. However when one looks at the final crop, the subject is too dominant.

So (I'm guessing) you expand the area of the canvas, which I can do. Then enlarge/resample the image to the same size as the canvas. Right?

Austin:

Thanks for the suggestion. I have an Olympus C-2100UZ, and love it. It also came with Camedia Master. (I want to say 4.x) I will also look into Picasa. I never did, because I just thought it was a picture viewer.

[kennethw]

So (I'm guessing) you expand the area of the canvas, which I can do. Then enlarge/resample the image to the same size as the canvas. Right?

While this is possible, the results that you'll get without working on your Photoshop chops may not be satisfactory. In this case it might be best to reshoot. Whenever you press the shutter, think about that image being the final image that you have to work with (with some tweaks as needed, but go for 100% every time and you have a better place to start).

Barring that, shoot with a little more space around your subject than you think you might need and crop later. It's a million times easier to crop than to create background from nothing.

[JoeKidd]

Duggo, first of all, kennethw had good advice: compose the photo when you take the shot. As far as your objective, you want a 5x7 print but do not want the image to fill it? If so, expand the canvas size to 5x7 inches, which will create a blank (white) border around the cropped image. You can resize the image smaller or larger on the canvas to suit your objective. The border can be filled with a color or pattern if you desire that effect. I don't use Photoshop but I have used Picasa2 and it has some quick and easy editing tools, including a click-and-drag crop tool. You can preset standard print dimensions and it will retain those proportions as you crop the image.

[Duggo]

Duggo, first of all, kennethw had good advice: compose the photo when you take the shot. As far as your objective, you want a 5x7 print but do not want the image to fill it? If so, expand the canvas size to 5x7 inches, which will create a blank (white) border around the cropped image. You can resize the image smaller or larger on the canvas to suit your objective. The border can be filled with a color or pattern if you desire that effect. I don't use Photoshop but I have used Picasa2 and it has some quick and easy editing tools, including a click-and-drag crop tool. You can preset standard print dimensions and it will retain those proportions as you crop the image.

Hiya Joe,

I would compose the image before I take the shot, but I mostly do candid photography. It's a challenge, but I love it. Not to disrespect my fellow photographers out there, but I would think that when you set up the shot, it has to be easier, to some extent. I've never done that, so I don't know. And to their credit, their shots turn out like a million bucks. I hope no offense was taken.

At any rate, OK, you've sold me. I didn't know that you had presets in Picasa2. Thanks Joe.

[kennethw]

At the very least, if you're not sure about your composition, frame your subject with extra space around it so you can crop later.

[GeeQue]

Hiya Jerry and the group,

So, when you have something like that to work with from the outset, then you crop that to 5x7, it looks out of proportion.

Porportion Issue:
whenever you enlarge or reduce, make sure that in the image size window you have "constraint proportions" checked. This way your width and height will enlarge or reduce in same ratio.

[Duggo]

Porportion Issue:
whenever you enlarge or reduce, make sure that in the image size window you have "constraint proportions" checked. This way your width and height will enlarge or reduce in same ratio.

Thanks GeeQue.

[Duggo]

I downloaded Picasa2 last night. It's great for doing standard size crops. I love it. Thanks to all.