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Participating Frequently
Feb 11, 2025 6:34 AM UTC
Question

Correct a distorted square object

In the old Paint Shop Pro I could correct a distorted square object such as a sign by clicking its four corners and pressing OK.

How can I achieve this in PSE, please? I can use Distort but it's a manual job and has to often be done a few times to get the desired output.

8 replies

Jeff Arola
Community Expert
Community Expert
Feb 18, 2025 10:21 AM UTC

Another thing you can do with the Perspective Crop Tool in order to keep all the image is to:

 

1. draw out your crop around the object or fence in this case

 

 

2. extend the borders of the crop by dragging each side just outside of the image

 

 

 

result

 

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Greg_S.
Community Expert
Community Expert
Feb 13, 2025 1:45 AM UTC

To preserve the background, you could also use the Image>Transform> tools (Perspective and Skew).  And you can also use the Filter>Correct Camera Lens Distortion.

 

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Participating Frequently
Feb 13, 2025 1:54 AM UTC

Aha! There's always more ways to skin a cat!  Thanks, Greg, more experimention required!

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Greg_S.
Community Expert
Community Expert
Feb 12, 2025 7:13 AM UTC

It's the same as you describe with PSP.  Click on the four corners and click the commit button (the checkmark) as shown in the following screenshot:

You can also draw a rectangle around the object and drag the corner handles to each corner.  And you can hit Return (Enter) on a Windows keyboard to complete the crop.

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Participating Frequently
Feb 13, 2025 1:05 AM UTC

Thanks, Greg - got it!

So to preserve some of the background the "corners" would need to be tagged out in space - tried it and it worked so the crooked item is not completely cropped.

It would be better if it just realigned the foreground. Maybe I can experiment with layers and only fix one, but more fiddling.  If I recall (??) PSP just turned the area marked, but can't recall.

Your help is appreciated!

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Greg_S.
Community Expert
Community Expert
Feb 11, 2025 5:43 PM UTC

Not sure if this is exactly what you want, but the Perspective Crop tool will make that kind of correction.  It is found under the Crop Tool options.

 

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Participating Frequently
Feb 12, 2025 6:33 AM UTC

Thanks, Greg,

That's EXACTLY what I was looking for!  I was sure that a much (!!) more up to date program like PSE would have the option, I just didn't look hard enough!

But just tried it and yes, it crops but can't seem to fix perspective. Am I missing something?  I selected the third crop tool, perspective.

Bruce

 

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Ann Bens
Community Expert
Community Expert
Feb 11, 2025 1:29 PM UTC

Moved question from Premiere to Photoshop Elements forum.

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