Cropping question

[GSHodg]

Hi all,

If I want to take a crop of an image such that it'll be suitable as a banner on a website, what's the best way to do this?

The image is currently a 'normal' proportion, but I want to make a crop of 460pixels x 90pixels (i.e. very wide and short). Unfortunately this doesn't make a pleasing composition as it crops out a major part of the shot. I've tried unticking constrain proportions and that just makes the image look very stretched and artificial.

Any suggestions gratefully appreciated.

[Scottes]

Please post the original and something that will show us what you wish to do. Right now I'm a little hazy on what the problem is compared to what you're trying to do. If you can't get a good 460x90 area (before or after resizing) then you might need to get creative.

Have you tried using the Crop or Marquee Tools (assuming PS) and setting the Aspect Ratio to 46x9 and playing with that? Maybe you can crop an area that's the right shape and then resize to 460x90?

Again, an example picture would help.

[PhotosGuy]

that just makes the image look very stretched and artificial. Shouldn't it? Your going from 2X3 to about 1X5.

[bokeh'ed]

sorry to digress a bit, but is cropping in CS2 destructive or non-destructive to the original image?

[MTalley]

Not sure if this is what you are trying to do, but here's how I'd do it (what I understand that I think you are trying to do):

1. With the crop tool selected and your photo open, set the crop tool to 460 pixel width, 90 pixel height and clear any values in the DPI field.
2. Drag out a crop border to encompass the area of the image you want to include in your final banner. Note that the crop border will automatically constrain itself to a 460:90 ratio, though not necessarily 460 pixels by 90 pixels.
3. Once you have a pleasing composition within the crop border, hit Enter to crop.
4. The image may be something like 1380 x 270 pixels or something at this point. Not to worry, though. Select the Image size setting, leave constrain proportions checked and enter 460 for the width. The height value should automatically change to 90. Hit OK.
5. You'll see the image grow smaller on screen, but will still be in the correct proportions. Once you save it and open it up in any other application, it is a 460 x 90 pixel JPG.

[Scottes]

sorry to digress a bit, but is cropping in CS2 destructive or non-destructive to the original image?
Yes, so save the cropped image under a new name. None of the remaining pixels will be changed unless you do a crop & resize.

[bokeh'ed]

ok, but besides those pixels being cropped off, whatever that remains after crop, are there minute changes to the color information, when,say comparing the same spot on the original image and the cropped version?

Yes, so save the cropped image under a new name. None of the remaining pixels will be changed unless you do a crop & resize.

[Scottes]

"None of the remaining pixels will be changed" - ie; they'll be identical to the original.

[GSHodg]

Thanks for the full reply. I've followed your steps one-by-one, but at the end of step 3 the image is always 460pixels by 90pixels. Exactly those numbers, not just the ratio that you suggest.

Looks like I can't quite get this shot into a decent looking banner at those proportions.

Thanks all


Not sure if this is what you are trying to do, but here's how I'd do it (what I understand that I think you are trying to do):

1. With the crop tool selected and your photo open, set the crop tool to 460 pixel width, 90 pixel height and clear any values in the DPI field.
2. Drag out a crop border to encompass the area of the image you want to include in your final banner. Note that the crop border will automatically constrain itself to a 460:90 ratio, though not necessarily 460 pixels by 90 pixels.
3. Once you have a pleasing composition within the crop border, hit Enter to crop.
4. The image may be something like 1380 x 270 pixels or something at this point. Not to worry, though. Select the Image size setting, leave constrain proportions checked and enter 460 for the width. The height value should automatically change to 90. Hit OK.
5. You'll see the image grow smaller on screen, but will still be in the correct proportions. Once you save it and open it up in any other application, it is a 460 x 90 pixel JPG.