Lose aspect ratio when creating a picture package

LQ
Posted By
Larry_Quinlan
Apr 8, 2004
Views
155
Replies
5
Status
Closed
After editing, etc., I resize my picts to 5.25" X 3.5" (a 3 x 2 aspect ratio). This allows me to print 4 pictures on a standard 8.5" x 11" sheet of photo paper. I have created a custom picture package for this, but when I load the pictures into the picture package the width is maintained (5.25) but the height is narrower (3" instead of 3.5"). To put it another way, the black rectangles in the picture package depict a 5.25 x 3.5 rectangle, but the 5.25 x 3.5 picture that I load into it fits in width (5.25) but is narrower in height (leaving white space inside the black rectangle). Does anyone know what the problem is here? If I print the pictures individually they print out correctly.

Thanks,

Larry

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DS
Dick_Smith
Apr 8, 2004
Larry,

could you post the specs for your picture package? that might make it easier to spot something.

But, you can also just create a new image at the size and resolution you want and then resize the individula pix and drag them one at a time onto the new image. Each will be on it’s own layer so you can position them the way you want and then print.

That doesn’t answer your question but does give a work around.

Dick
D
davee
Apr 9, 2004
Have you printed a page created with your package spec?
I think the ‘diagram’ containing your outlines in the PP setup is alwys the same shape, regardless of the PP spec. It just shows the number and placement of images, not their aspect ratios.
You can see what the print will look like by building a package page and using Print Preview.
BH
Beth_Haney
Apr 9, 2004
Have you tried printing these WITHOUT using the custom picture package layout you created? I don’t do those things, but I keep looking at this post, wondering if there was a minor error in the set up doc somewhere, and I think that’s what Dick is wondering about, too. And is it really the aspect ratio that’s being effected, or is part of the image being cut off? Try doing it manually and see what happens.

Open a new canvas that’s 8 X 10 1/2. Set the resolution to match that of the pictures you want to print, and choose either a white or transparent background. Now move the four pictures on to the new canvas with the Move tool. They’ll all go on a separate layers, so if you need to rotate them you can do that through Image>Rotate>Layer

Print from this and see what happens. It sounds/feels awkward, but it can actually be done very quickly, and I find it faster to just move images to the canvas for printing instead of working on them, closing them, opening PP, and then navigating to find all of the images again.
D
davee
Apr 9, 2004
I forgot to mention thet when you click ‘OK’ on the Picture Packege set up, the page will be built correctly. You don’t neeed Print Preview to see this, however….

Unless you are using borderless printing, your printer will need a margin all round your full image. If you specify 2 pictures 5.25" wide with a .5" space between them in your package then you are using all 11". This will not print correctly on an 11" paper without scaling; it will be distorted or trimmed.
If you select ‘Scale to fit media" when you print, then the aspect ration will be preserved. If your printer needs, say, .25" each side then you have a true print area 10.5" wide. So the images would scale to 5.01" with a .48" space. The 3.5" would scale to 3.34".
LQ
Larry_Quinlan
Apr 10, 2004
First, thanks to everyone that took the time to respond to my post! You guys were a great help and I truly appreciate it.

"davee" hit the nail on the head with his first post:

Have you printed a page created with your package spec?

er… no…

I think the ‘diagram’ containing your outlines in the PP setup is alwys the same shape, regardless of the PP spec. It just shows the number and placement of images, not their aspect ratios.

Yep. You’re right… Boy, do I feel dumb…

Sorry for taking your time (of each of you that responded) with such a silly misunderstanding on my part! I should have went ahead and completed the picture package and reviewed the results. Instead, I just saw the white space in the PP setup and assumed that it was messing up the aspect ration. OK, I’ll go wipe the egg off of my face now… : {

Larry

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Easy-to-use drag-n-drop Photoshop scene creator with more than 2800 items.

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