Photoshop 101: Five Tips Using Crop Tools
There is a lot of power in the Crop Tool that many people don't know about, and yet it's probably on of the most used tools by photographers.
Many people use the crop tools to remove elements of picture, but there are a lot of hidden secrets, tools, many of which we cover in this feature. Read on to find out how to correct covering verticals, expand, rotate and straighten an image, as well as ways to improve the composition.
Crop Tool Tip 1: How To Select Crop Tool
Choose the Crop tool, in the toolbox. Then click and drag across the image. An outline will appear that shows you the area to be cropped.
Note: If you move the cursor just outside of one of the corner handles, it turns into a curved cursor, which then allows you change the alignment of the selected area.
Crop Tool Tip 2: Cropping For Composition
Experiment with different crop shapes to strengthen your images composition. Here, we have tried putting the focal point in the bottom third of the image, producing a square crop with the focal point in the centre of the frame and creating a panorama to show off the vista. For portraits especially, a tight crop on the subject can improve an image.
Crop tip 3: Expanding The Canvas
Use: GREAT FOR ADDING ARTISTIC BORDERS
when most people think of cropping , they think of removing. But it's a little known fact that you can use the crop tool to add to an image. If you apply the crop constraints to an image and then pull them out you will be able to expand your canvas. To do this, select the crop tool and then the entire image by clicking in the top left hand corner and dragging down to the bottom right hand corner. If you want to add some canvas space, click on the middle widget at add some canvas space. Click on the middle widget at the top and drag it upwards.Do the same for bottom and the sides. Use the rulers at the top and sides of the interface as a guide to make the sides even.
when most people think of cropping , they think of removing. But it's a little known fact that you can use the crop tool to add to an image. If you apply the crop constraints to an image and then pull them out you will be able to expand your canvas. To do this, select the crop tool and then the entire image by clicking in the top left hand corner and dragging down to the bottom right hand corner. If you want to add some canvas space, click on the middle widget at add some canvas space. Click on the middle widget at the top and drag it upwards.Do the same for bottom and the sides. Use the rulers at the top and sides of the interface as a guide to make the sides even.
Crop tip 4: Constrain The Crop
USE: ACCURATE CROP TO FIT A FRAME
If you want to constraint the crop to a certain size for instance, 5X 7in, or in this size 15X 5in to create a panorama - you can type these dimensions in the height and image to load the picture's parameters in to the top height and width panel. Types in the new dimensions- in this case, width: 15Xin and height: 5in- keeping the resolution at 300 pixels/inch to retain quality. Clicking on the image and drag the crop tool until it reaches those proportions. You can also move the position of the crop by clicking in the centre of the image and dragging it where you want it.
If you want to constraint the crop to a certain size for instance, 5X 7in, or in this size 15X 5in to create a panorama - you can type these dimensions in the height and image to load the picture's parameters in to the top height and width panel. Types in the new dimensions- in this case, width: 15Xin and height: 5in- keeping the resolution at 300 pixels/inch to retain quality. Clicking on the image and drag the crop tool until it reaches those proportions. You can also move the position of the crop by clicking in the centre of the image and dragging it where you want it.
Crop Tip 5: Rotate The Canvas
USE: GOOD FOR CORRECTING WONKY HORIZONS
Unless you use a tripod with a spirit level, when you open a landscape image in photoshop, you may find that it needs via the image >Image Rotation menu, but you can also it manually using the crop tool. Once you have selected the entire image with the crop tool, if you hover your cursor over the corner widgets and rotate the image until the subject looks straight and commit to crop. As the image now will be titled, you will find that canvas is showing. You will need to crop this canvas out. Alternatively, if they extra canvas space works for image, select the Clone Stamp Tool and fill in the blank canvas by making a selection from the edges of the image.
Unless you use a tripod with a spirit level, when you open a landscape image in photoshop, you may find that it needs via the image >Image Rotation menu, but you can also it manually using the crop tool. Once you have selected the entire image with the crop tool, if you hover your cursor over the corner widgets and rotate the image until the subject looks straight and commit to crop. As the image now will be titled, you will find that canvas is showing. You will need to crop this canvas out. Alternatively, if they extra canvas space works for image, select the Clone Stamp Tool and fill in the blank canvas by making a selection from the edges of the image.
