Stretch a photo in one dimension

[MikeFromMesa]

What is the easiest way to stretch a photo in only the horizontal or vertical direction without changing the size of the other dimension?

I often find that after correcting perspective in some photos I have fixed the main issue but the dimensions no longer look right and often I need to stretch the show vertically but I do not want to lose the horizontal contents. I have had success using the Image -> Image Size dialog box but that requires me to enter pixel sizes. I assume there is some way to directly stretch the photo in one direction but I have not found it.

[Daniel E Lane · Accepted solution]

Depending on what version of photoshop you are using, one small thing may change. If you are in CC 2019, this is how you do it.

1. Select your layer and either hit CMD+T (on Mac) or CNTRL+T (on PC) to et into the transform tool (or you can do it via menus with Edit > Transform.
2. Just grabbing a side and moving it will have the proportions constrained, so you want to hold down shift+drag a side and it will transform in only that direction.
   
   pretty easy. Good luck!
   
   

[MikeFromMesa]

Yes. That worked. Edit -> Transform -> Distort, shift key and drag.

Thank you. I had tried a lot of edit functionality but I never thought to use the Shift Key along with them.

[Daniel E Lane]

No problem! If you ever find yourself on an older version on Photoshop, the shift key is used to constrain the proportions. In this version is where they changed it up and went the other way.

[MikeFromMesa]

Thanks again.

I have the latest CC version on my Mac, but I also have an old CS 5.1 on the Windows VM on my Mac so I will remember that it may work the other way with that version.