Cropping to fit print size?

RS
Posted By
Richard_Shayegan
Jul 21, 2004
Views
383
Replies
9
Status
Closed
Is there a way in Photoshop CS to crop photos to meet the size of the page (for instance crop the top and bottom of a photo shot in a 4:3 ratio space a bit to fit on a 4×6)? Granted I could crop manually, but it wouldn’t be accurate enough.
Thanks,
Richard

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DM
dave_milbut
Jul 21, 2004
I crop manually, but with the marquee set to "fixed" in the options bar so i get exactly the # of max pixels my printer can print (olympus dye sub)
GA
George_Austin
Jul 21, 2004
Richard,

Activate the crop tool. On the options bar, set the width and height in inches for the final printed output you desire. Leave the resolution box blank. Drag the crop tool in the image to include/exclude parts of the image, subject to the imposed aspect ratio implied by the width and height you entered.

When you stop dragging and positioning the crop frame, whatever is within it will print at the height and width you entered, will contain all of the pixels originally within that frame, and will not contain ersatz (interpolated) pixels.

Should the resulting resolution be unsatisfactory, cancel and redo with a new, trial resolution. If you enter the crop width and height in pixels, the resolution is treated differently, but that’s a digression.

George
BB
Bert_Bigelow
Jul 21, 2004
George’s method works fine, but you might not get a good print if the resultant resolution is too low.
Another method that allows you to control the process but requires a bit more effort is to select the Rectangular Marquee tool, set the height and width in inches, and then just click on the image. The resultant "crawling ants" box shows you what you will print at the current resolution. For a good print, the "ideal" resolution is around 300 ppi, although you can often get a good print at 200 or even a little lower, depending on your requirements. If the selected area is too small, reduce the image resolution and try again. The advantage of this approach is that you see what the final resolution will be before you commit the crop, and you can play with it until you get the best result for your needs.
By the way, this question has come up very often in the forum, and there are some really good discussions of the Crop Tool vs. the Rect. Marquee for doing this kind of thing. Do a search and you will find all kinds of good stuff…also in the PSE forum.
Bert
RS
Richard_Shayegan
Jul 21, 2004
Thanks for your help guys. After messing around a bit, the rectangular marquee is my favorite. I seem to never notice the options that are available for each tool.
Richard
DM
dave_milbut
Jul 21, 2004
i’d rather set the resolution with image> image size (no check in the resample). then use the marquee. I LOATHE the crop tool! More re-dos than any other tool in the toolbox!
BB
Bert_Bigelow
Jul 21, 2004
That’s basically what I was suggesting, Dave. Establish the box size with the RM tool, and then adjust resolution to give you the selection you want.
DM
dave_milbut
Jul 21, 2004
nodding. 🙂
GA
George_Austin
Jul 21, 2004
Nodding—sideways!

Neither tool is better in all cases. The RM and Crop tools provide situational versatility—if you understand them.

The marquee constrains both frame and resolution, allowing you only the freedom to move the frame around in the original image until what it includes is satisfactory for you. If you know what size you want the final output to be, why would you set the marquee to that size and then resize it later, as suggested?

The crop tool gives much more freeedom in the choice of content. Yes, the resolution is variable, but you should not be hidebound by adhering to a fixed resolution when a whole range of resolutions will do and if the original resolution is overkill to begin with. The crop tool lets you enlarge and pass on adding interpolated pixels, so you see what the result will be with no resampling. Ordinarily, if it’s not a severe enlargement, the resulting resolution is more than needed. If it’s not, then resampling is needed by whatever cropping method used. It is the resampling you ought to avoid unless forced into it.

I personally use both the crop tool and the rectangular marquee to crop images, depending on what portion of the image I’m after. When I know exactly what dimensions I want the product to be but want greatest freedom in choosing what is to appear inside, I find the crop tool easier and more direct.
BB
Bert_Bigelow
Jul 22, 2004
Absolutely right on, George. They are both good tools. I think each user gets used to one or the other and uses it for most cropping actions, not because it’s the best, but because it’s the one they are more comfortable with. I use the Crop tool occasionally…and the Marquee tool often, but that’s just my taste.
Chacun a son gout…or something like that. I’m too lazy to look it up. 🙂 Bert

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