Newbie here, need help how to resize an image in Photoshop to 1920x1080 px without distorting it

[TianDing]

Hi, I am still pretty new to Photoshop and cannot figure out a feature of it, specifically the image > image size dialog box. I have an image that has layers and is 5100 x 3300 px. I need to resize it to be 1920 x 1080 px. When I go to the image size dialog box and put in these dimensions with the link chain turned off, it distorts the image by making it flatter. When I command it to keep the proportions by clicking the link chain on, it autochanges the dimensions to 1920 x 1242 px. That's not the size I need. It specifically has to be 1920 x 1080 px. How can I use the dialog box to change the image size without distorting it? Any help would be much appreciated. 

[Semaphoric]

Be sure the Resample box is checked.

[jane-e]

I have an image that ... is 5100 x 3300 px.

I need to resize it to be 1920 x 1080 px. 

it autochanges the dimensions to 1920 x 1242 px.

By @TianDing

You can't resize the image from 5100 x 3100 px to 1920 x 1080 px without distorting it. It's simple math — you are not keeping the same aspect ratio. Choose either the H or W and let PS determine the other.

Photoshop does offer some possible solutions using the Crop tool:

• Change one dimension and crop to cut away part of the image (here since the beginning)
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7cAI201LcQ
• Use Content Aware Fill to add content on the shorter side (been here for a few years — maybe a decade)
  https://helpx.adobe.com/ph_fil/photoshop/how-to/content-aware-crop-fill.html
• Use Generative Expand to add content (new)
  https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/generative-expand.html

Make a copy of your image first, then try each of these. Let us know if you need more details and post a screenshot of your image.

Jane

[John Waller]

As @jane-e says, you're dealing with different aspect ratios.

5100/3300=1.545 aspect ratio (hence Photoshop autoselects 1920x1242 to maintain 1.545)

1920/1080=1.778

Trying to shoehorn 5100x3300 into 1920x1080 can only result in distortion.

Choose one of the options suggested by Jane.

[Trevor.Dennis]

I have an image that does not fit the 1920 x 1080 16:9 aspect ratio

Note: It is 2160 pixels high

I've created a new document 1920 x 1080 (It's a preset under Film and Video) and resized it to 2160 pixels high.

Then copied to my landscape image.

Turn on rulers (Cltr R) and dragged new guides from the rulers and snaped them to each side of my blank layer.

I now know the correct aspect ratio for your 16:9 resize.

If you have important areas that can't be squished, then make a rough selection and save it (Select > Save selection)

(If you had people in your image for instance, or cars or anything that needs to retain its original aspect ratio.)

Now Select All (Ctrl A)

and go Edit > Content Aware Scale

In the Options bar, use the Protect drop down, and select your saved selection.

I'd forgotten there is a People icon. If you have people just click that as well as your saved selection.

Hold down the Shift key, and drag each side of your image to the Guide. 

Note: the two outcrops that I protect are still exactly as they were, but the rest of the image has been reduced in width.  It will automatically try to maintain what it thinks are imaportant areas, and squeeze things like empty spaces.  Remember: You can protect anything you want to keep as it was.

OK it

You can use Image > Trim to remove the transparent pixels

You can now use Image size. Type 1920 in the width, and 1080 will automatically appear in the hieght.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Out of interest, I tried it on this cityscape.  The protect people icon worked OK for small changes, but the 50%(ish) reduction I applied squashed the people.  So I selected them and saved that selection, and CAS then did an OK job.

I should have included those little white circles on the road as CAS has messed them up, but the people are OK.  Some of the buildings are gone, but you could select any you wanted to save.  CAS is quite an old tool, and I think a lot of us forget it is available.

[TianDing]

Thank you for the detailed answer/screenshots! I saw your answer after I had relaid out the image, but I will keep your tips in mind if I run into issues in the future! 

[TianDing · Accepted solution]

Thank you everyone for the tips! I ended up duplicating the original file, resizing the canvas in the new file to 1920x1080, selecting all of the elements (text, QR code) within the new file, free transforming them and downsizing them to fit the new canvas size, then resizing ONLY the photo to fill the canvas without stretching it. 

[John Waller]

Glad you found a solution you're happy with.

Sounds like you basically re-laid out the image to suit the 1920x1080 final size.