If I then attempt to resize my canvas to what I had originally specified the crop I just implemented disappears.
Click on the Crop tool. In the options bar look and see if "Hide" is ticked. If not, tick it. Does that bring back the behavior you’re after?
All righty then….I selected "hide" and the result was the same. I’ll try to better explain what’s happening; The first picture I placed is smaller than the second I have positioned it in the upper right corner of the canvas. When I place the second image into the project it is way too large and so I attempt to crop off the sides of it. I select the crop tool, drag it across the image, adjust it to the exact dimensions I want so that it will fit into the remainder of my canvas, hit the "commit" check-mark on the task bar and then everything behind the cropped image disappears and the entire canvas is reduced to the dimensions of my newly cropped photo.
Previously I have been able to place numerous photos onto a canvas in this manner without issue; I may shrink one, enlarge another and move them all around to my hearts content…not anymore.
Lastly, thanks for your input Cybernetic Nomad but I’m just not that familiar with layer masks, cropping has always worked for me but perhaps it’s time to learn a new trick! 😉
the entire canvas is reduced to the dimensions of my newly cropped photo.
That is precisely what the Crop tool does. It, erm, "crops" the entire canvas.
There is a better way to "place numerous photos onto a canvas" which makes resizes a breeze:
First create a new blank document to the required size and resolution. Now go FILE>PLACE and navigate to your first image. this will be brought into the new document as a "smart object" complete with the "transform" bounding box for you to resize as required. After hitting "commit", do the same with your next image.
Because they are "smart objects" you can repeatedly hit Ctrl+T and resize without any image degradation.
Hope this helps.
Chris.
Previously I have been able to place numerous photos onto a canvas in this manner without issue; I may shrink one, enlarge another and move them all around to my hearts content…not anymore.
Not in photoshop – the crop tool has always behaved that way.
Follow Chris’ advice.