Cropping to proportion

Report · Mar 07, 2020

Hello,

Can't seem to figure out how to crop the picture to a specific proportion. I am scanning pictures with 2400 dps, with print size .9 x 1.6 in (old negatives), and all I want to do is to crop it to 1 x 1.5 proportion. But the only option I see in the crop tool is 4 in x 6 in, which is NOT what I need. Can someone help please?

Report · Mar 07, 2020

Use the Rectangular Marquee tool and set it to the ratio:

Then Edit > Crop from the menu.

Report · Mar 07, 2020

I totally agree with Peru Bob's advice to use the rectangular marquee tool followed by Edit > Crop.

I also frequently use another non destructive cropping solution, it's by using the 'Edit in camera raw' option.

- Click on the Edit icon until a drop down menu is displayed.

- Choose 'custom' and enter your ratio: 1 and 1.5

- Adjust your crop rectangle.

- You can even tilt the rectangle (which is not possible with the rectangular marquee tool).

- Your ratio is 'sticky'.

- You can apply it to a batch of files opened in ACR and adjust it individually for position or tilt until you save all your files.

- You finish either by

* select all and click 'Done'. This will save the edit settings without losing the original image.

* or select all, clicking 'open' to open the files in the editor for further editing, saving and printing.

Of course, there are other advantages with using 'open in ACR', like applying the same settings to a batch of images and saving the edits non destructively.

Report · Mar 07, 2020

MichelBParis said:

...

"I also frequently use another non destructive cropping solution, it's by using the 'Edit in camera raw' option."

...

Your technique sounds like something I'd want to try. I like that it's sticky. Where do I find the 'Edit in Camera Raw' option in PSE 2020?

--
Walter in Davie, FL

Report · Mar 24, 2020

THANK YOU!

This is perfect. So frustrating that the Crop tool forces a size output so no matter how much I crop down the image comes out the same size as the original. At least this marquee thing gets around that.

Report · Mar 07, 2020

MichelBParis said:

...

"I also frequently use another non destructive cropping solution, it's by using the 'Edit in camera raw' option."

...

Your technique sounds like something I'd want to try. I like that it's sticky. Where do I find the 'Edit in Camera Raw' option in PSE 2020?

Walter

Walter,

ACR is the module which converts raw files (NEF, CR2...) into image files. Your raw files are automatically opened in ACR where you can apply 'parametric' edits, that is editing commands which are saved separately as a 'recipe' in small sidecar text files (.xmp extension). After you have applied your edits in the ACR dialog, you have a choice:

- button 'Done': the edits are saved in the xmp text file. No change to the original raw file, because raw files can't be edited directly. Next time you open the original file, the 'recipe' is applied.

- button 'Open': same as above, plus a converted copy in image format (like psd) is transferred to the editor with the edits applied.

This parametric editing is the same as in Lightroom. The ACR features in Photoshop are mostly the same as in Lightroom. The ACR version in Elements has only the 'core' functions of the ACR in Photoshop, but for 90% of my shots I don't need further editing in the normal editor (no need to save a 'cooked' version set, both the original and the edited version are available via the the xmp recipe file.

The ACR module has a lot of advantages and a simple interface which you may want to use with your non raw files (jpegs, psd, tiff). Of course, there is no raw conversion in that case, but you can work just like with raws. The 'recipe' is not saved in xmp files, it's written in the 'metadata' header of the file itself. No pixel data is changed. If you open the file from the editor or the organizer, the 'recipe' is applied. If you open with a third-party editor, it is ignored.

I do edit most of my jpegs in ACR. It's a pity that Adobe does not allow opening jpegs from the organizer directly, but you can open a batch of, say 50 jpegs directly from the editor, apply a minimal edit like sharpening or denoising, select all and click 'Done'. Next time you open any of them from the organizer, they will be opened in ACR.

In Windows, you open your jpegs from the menu File > Open in camera raw... (shortcut Alt + Ctrl + O)

In Macs, I am not sure, but the equivalent shortcut should work.

Report · Mar 08, 2020

Michel,

Thanks for the clarification. I was looking for an 'Edit in Camera Raw' menu option. If I understand correctly, I have to first do File > Open in Camera Raw... and then do the editing in the ACR window. Correct?

--
Walter in Davie, FL

Report · Mar 09, 2020

Yes, that's it.

You may notice that there is no help from Adobe about 'Open in camera raw' in Elements.

- in the online help

- in the pdf manual (just a part of a sentence)

- in the search box of the home screen (which is the best tool in general)

- The camera raw help is available... if you have already opened in camera raw because you edit raw files. The ability to open psd and jpeg is only mentioned once (you can also open png) without any explanation.

As already mentioned, you can't do that from the organizer if you have not already used it in the editor before.

All Elements users wondered what was the purpose of the 'save' button. That's one of the most frequent questions in this forum. The suggested workflow by Adobe would be to prompt you to 'save' (= understand 'convert') all your raw files in a DNG package containing the raw data stored in a more universal format and the parametric edits. Indeed, the process also works for non raw formats for non layered files.

So, it appears that even if Elements is able to offer you a powerful (LR like) non-destructive parametric editing as well as classical pixel editing one, everything seems carefully hidden. Some missing feature in the pixel editor have been added recently in quick or guided edit modes, like batch editing. They are present in the ACR module editing.

Report · Mar 08, 2020

Just what I was looking for, thank you so much!

Adobe Community

Cropping to proportion

2 Correct answers