Photo editing

[Soren]

without spending a fortune, what software is able to resize a photo for both saving and printing to a specific size ?
I have access to several pieces of software, but they all want to resize to either a % or the original or to specific pixels.
I would like to be able to save a picture, regardless of original resolution, to say print out resized to 6" * 4". This is so I can save the picture onto an SD card and print it out at the photo kiosk. Every previous attempt of cropping and trying to manipulate the pixels / % to get close, still leaves me with either an additional (unwanted) cropping or black borders on 2 edges, or worse, all four edges.
Hope someone can help

regards

Soren

[Pusser]

Depends what you mean by a fortune. Photoshop Elements has the option of specifying the image size in cm or inches as well as pixel and percentage.

[jow104]

Hello again Soren.
I use paint shop pro, have done so for years. You can get a free download one month trial from Corel.com. Plenty of tutorials on this software on the web. So if hooked you would most probably buy.

If you want a freebie some people like to use Gimp, havent used it myself but it would surely have that resize option.

http://www.gimp.org/

[Pusser]

Hello again Soren.
I use paint shop pro, have done so for years. You can get a free download one month trial from Corel.com. Plenty of tutorials on this software on the web. So if hooked you would most probably buy.

If you want a freebie some people like to use Gimp, havent used it myself but it would surely have that resize option.

http://www.gimp.org/

Gimp may do but you would be surprised at how many don't. I have 5 photo editing programs and only photoshop had the resize to a specific size. It doesn't matter generally as on most programs you can set the picture size when printing them. (I am surprised that the kiosk apparently doesn't have this function)

[jow104]

paint shop pro wil create any size requested.

[woodbe]

Another good option is Paint.Net (http://www.getpaint.net/)

If you ask at the photo kiosk what the pixels required to get borderless prints, you should be able to crop and save to those dimensions in just about any photo editor.

The black borders will be there because your photo is not quite the correct ratio of width to height, and the printing software is defaulting to a mode where it 'best fits' your photo to the paper without losing any of the image. Some software allows you to change this default so that the image fills the paper (and loses some of the picture that 'spills over'), so it's worth asking at the shop about that too.

woodbe.

[jow104]

If portraiture isnt involved you can resize in most programs ignoring the correct ratio. (maintain ratio option). More of an artist eye involved and you can make a mini look like a stretch limo.

[glock40sw]

G'day All.

I shoot RAW format and modify and convert in Photoshop CS3 to JPG.

Croping and printing is then done with Picasa 2.

[Honorary Bloke]

It isn't that simple. Even if the program lets you specify inches or cm, you will get borders if your original picture is not a 6X4 multiple. If you don't maintain the aspect ratio, you can get the right size, but the picture will be distorted. If you want exactly 6x4, with a full frame, no borders, no distortion, and no cropping--well, you can't get there from here. :(

[Ashore]

:iagree:
You have to do some cropping or have a distorted picture, even in photoshop Cs3 you need to crop ,
I also use the programe that came with the cannon MP 800 printer that will auto crop to fit 6 x 4 but this just removes excess evenly of both sides ie top and bottom or left and right and may take out areas you don't want removed so I usually crop in photoshop and get it close to 6 x 4 then allow the printer to do the final small adjustment's :2tsup:

[woodbe]

It isn't that simple. Even if the program lets you specify inches or cm, you will get borders if your original picture is not a 6X4 multiple. If you don't maintain the aspect ratio, you can get the right size, but the picture will be distorted. If you want exactly 6x4, with a full frame, no borders, no distortion, and no cropping--well, you can't get there from here. :(

Well, yes you can, actually. All you need is to look at the pixel dimensions of your crop before you commit to it. Check it in the calculator. Most editors display the dimensions as you crop, but even if they don't a trial and error approach will work. Some editors (I've seen it in Lightroom) allow you to set a crop aspect ratio, and the crop tool snaps to that automatically as you use it.

woodbe.

[Honorary Bloke]

Well, yes you can, actually..

Well, no you can't, actually. So we'll agree to disagree. :)

[Pusser]

It is not just a featue of the digital age. 35mm negatives will not give an exact 6x4 or 10x8. The sixes for pictures was based on the older large format cameras I think. Then someone went modern and started using movie stock in small format cameras.

[Ian Smith]

Woodbe,
HB is right in what he says - if you bother to read his post. He says, in part that you cannot get there without cropping or distortion - and you can't.
You cannot alter the aspect ratio of the the picture without either distorting it or cropping it. End of story!!

However what you say about setting the aspect ratio of the cropping is correct and will give the desired result.

Soren, resizing will not produce the desired result unless your original aspect ratio is the same as your desired final result. To do what you want you must use the cropping tool set, as Woodbe says, to the desired aspect ratio.

I've just checked my Canon Power Shot A710 and it provides 2 options - 4 x 3 (1.3333:1) or widescreen 16 x 9 ( 1.7777:1 ).
The standard 6 x 4 has an aspect ration of 1.5:1 and the 10 x 8 is 1.25:1 To print in either format without borders or distortion I have to crop. I suspect this is the case with most digital cameras.

Regards

Ian

[woodbe]

Well, no you can't, actually. So we'll agree to disagree. :)

Well, you can agree to disagree if you like, but I'm being disagreeable today :)

This is the essence of the original question:


Every previous attempt of cropping and trying to manipulate the pixels / % to get close, still leaves me with either an additional (unwanted) cropping or black borders on 2 edges, or worse, all four edges.
Hope someone can help Whilst it may be interesting to debate the semantics, it doesn't help Soren's problem. He has already said that he has had trouble getting things sorted, and he has been cropping the image. He hasn't said that he absolutely must fit all of the original picture on the print, he has said that he wants it to print without "additional (unwanted) cropping or black borders"

If I have misinterpreted what Soren has said, ok. happy to be corrected, but I don't think so... Just to be specific on that, what I think he is saying (in my words) is:

"show me how to fix my images so that when I take my memory card to the photolab, they will print as expected without extra cropping or borders"

Of course you are right about the original format not being the same, and that it won't go onto a different format without cropping, bordering, or distortion.

Sorry to disagree, I'm trying to solve the original posters question. Maybe Soren can jump in here and advise us which question he wants answered? :)

woodbe.

[woodbe]

It is not just a featue of the digital age. 35mm negatives will not give an exact 6x4 or 10x8. The sixes for pictures was based on the older large format cameras I think. Then someone went modern and started using movie stock in small format cameras.

35mm frame size is actually 24x36mm and is the same 2:3 aspect ratio as 4x6. The 8x10 (4:5 aspect ratio) does indeed hail from earlier larger format cameras. You can get replacement focussing screens for some DSLR's with the 4:5 aspect ratio marked in the viewfinder if you are shooting for 8x10 print.

woodbe

[MrFixIt]

Hi

One of the best is Irfanview (http://www.irfanview.com).

This is mainly an image viewer, however it has some REMARKABLE capabilities for editing/resizing/cropping etc.

It can do BATCH processes, so if you have several photos that you want resized to the same size, you can do them in one go!

You can also in a batch process, rename photos to your preferred sequence and MUCH more, including the auto creation of web pages to display your photos INCLUDING a "main" page that has thumbnails with links to the created image pages. It works really well. Here is a web page (http://www.multiline.com.au/~psanders/Woodwork/woodfram.htm) I did using Irfanview. Click on one of the links on the left.

HTH

[Pusser]

35mm frame size is actually 24x36mm and is the same 2:3 aspect ratio as 4x6. The 8x10 (4:5 aspect ratio) does indeed hail from earlier larger format cameras. You can get replacement focussing screens for some DSLR's with the 4:5 aspect ratio marked in the viewfinder if you are shooting for 8x10 print.

woodbe

Thanks Woodbe, It seems a long time since I have had any 6x4's done. I used to get the larger premium prints (5x7?) which did not match exactly. Always used to leave plenty around the subject to avoid cropping of body parts etc.

[munruben]

Hi

One of the best is Irfanview (http://www.irfanview.com). This is mainly an image viewer, however it has some REMARKABLE capabilities for editing/resizing/cropping etc. I second that. Its a really good program and best of all , its free.:)

[fenderbelly]

My son used Irfanview for years and thought it was the Bs knees.

[Stuart]

Perhaps Soren should have a chat to someone he knows ..... who's quite well versed in digital photography......

May have to come to a quid-pro-quo arrangement, as said person needs more help learning how to turn bowls........

[Soren]

Perhaps Soren should have a chat to someone he knows ..... who's quite well versed in digital photography......

May have to come to a quid-pro-quo arrangement, as said person needs more help learning how to turn bowls........


Stuart, I love your comments, and yes I will take you up on that offer.
Anyway, to the rest, sorry for not having got back sooner, but end of year work commitments have meant that I have not had access to the forum.

I do have Irfanview, Adobe Photoshop CS (trial), Nero 8 (full version), Adobe Photoshop Elements (trial) Adobe Premier Elements (trial) and Picassa 2.
I am sure I have seen / heard / read about a piece of software, where you can specify the final image size, in inches or cm, and a rectangle of that ratio is overlaid on the picture on the screen, and this rectangle can be both moved or shrunk or stretched (maintaining the aspect ratio) to show the desired final picture, ie it may therefore crop a very small amount off one side and a larger amount off the other parallel side. I was also of the impression that subsequent to this cropping, the picture could therefore fit a borderless print of the desired size.
The reason for the 'budget' is that this is purely for printing family shots, for distribution to grandparents etc.
I am not aware that the photo-kiosk is able to resize pictures saved on a memory stick before printing (this is all self driven, and to be honest, I doubt if the young girls behind the K-Mart counter would be of great help, no offence meant to these girlls.

Hope these additional comments may trigger the recall of a piece of software like that, which can be operated by a very inexperienced computer operator.

Soren

[Waldo]

Soren,

I'd be happy to help as I have a fully set up g/design studio set up with PhotoShop CS3 with an Epson 1290 Stylus with all the Epson paper. Only cost would be the prints as they cost me. The paper I use is good for 5 years and is waterproof. I'm in Kilsyth. Final max size is dependant on what res you shoot at and the quality of it.

Looks like Stuart has put his hand up. :2tsup: I read Soren's initial post, and quickly skimmed over the rest. :U

[jow104]

Soren, there are loads of tutorials here using adobe elements.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=adobe+elements+tutorials&meta=

[MrFixIt]

Hi

I do have Irfanview, Adobe Photoshop CS (trial), Nero 8 (full version), Adobe Photoshop Elements (trial) Adobe Premier Elements (trial) and Picassa 2.
I am sure I have seen / heard / read about a piece of software, where you can specify the final image size, in inches or cm, and a rectangle of that ratio is overlaid on the picture on the screen, and this rectangle can be both moved or shrunk or stretched (maintaining the aspect ratio) to show the desired final picture, ie it may therefore crop a very small amount off one side and a larger amount off the other parallel side. I was also of the impression that subsequent to this cropping, the picture could therefore fit a borderless print of the desired size.
The reason for the 'budget' is that this is purely for printing family shots, for distribution to grandparents etc. Soren

Paint Shop Pro X (PSPX) and PSPX2 can do this... see attached.

I realise that the other software you mention are all good in their field. While I appreciate that Photoshop is the ultimate graphic app for those that NEED and CAN USE it, PS is overkill for many.

I have been a fan of PSP since version 3. It was created by JASC software and is now owned by Corel. The newest release is version 12, PSP X2.

I have been using PSPX since it came out, I just upgraded to PSP X2 *yesterday* I bought the UPGRADE for a bargin price of US$32.99!! from the US Corel web site.

You can of course download a 30 day trial version. If you decide to purchase it you could try the promo code I used, I don't know if it will still work when/if you decide to buy.

PSPX2 is a great program. The promo code is UG40OFFSEP

Good luck...

[Ashwood]

Soren,
I swear by Photoimpact, which imho has the best ratio of editing-capability to ease-of-use among photo editing software. You can get it from http://www.mailordersoftware.com.au/mosa.cfm?do=DisplayProduct&ProductID=4364
at $155 plus $13 postage within Melbourne surrounds.

You click on the crop icon, select your photo crop ratio from a drop-down box (eg. 4 by 6, vertical 4 by 6, ......) click the tick box to select that, then go to your image, mark where you want it to crop, adjust by dragging any corner or side, move it around, then click another button to confirm.

You can also resize by pixels or %.
When you save the file, you can compress to any desired file size (bytes).

Besides that, there are endless editing tools for image lighting, colour, fancy effects, frames, etc, etc.

I reckon this is the one to go for if you don't have time to learn Photoshop, want most of its capabilities and it's super quick to learn and is fairly affordable.

[Ashwood]

Just to add, when you adjust any of the sides or corners while cropping, the aspect ratio (4:6 or whatever) remains at that ratio when you move the cursor ie. the rectangle gets smaller or larger accordingly.

If you do get Photoimpact, send me a PM & I'd be happy to spend a few minutes (and that's all you'll need) on the phone to start you on the basics of adjusting the image quality/colour, cropping, resizing.

[Soren]

Looks like I'll be downloading a few more trial versions :-

PhotoImpact and PSP as they both sound like the sort of think I was hoping for, ie 'simple' but effective.

hopefully I'll get to "play" this week-end, if swmbo will allow it :rolleyes:

[manoftalent]

Soren....if you are happy with paintshop pro trial ...pm me with details and I will happily send you a full version pspx cd complete :U

[MrFixIt]

Hi

Soren,
I swear by Photoimpact, which imho has the best ratio of editing-capability to ease-of-use among photo editing software. You can get it from http://www.mailordersoftware.com.au/mosa.cfm?do=DisplayProduct&ProductID=4364
at $155 plus $13 postage within Melbourne surrounds.

Unles you need a cardboard box to throw away or store on a shelf, you can download the full version of PhotoImpact (PI) from the maker - Corel - the same company that supplies PSPX,PSPX2 etc.

You can purchase PI online at Corel's site for AU$80.30 ((US$69.99) about HALF the price above :)

For AU$104, you can but the LATEST version of PSPX2

There were some refrences to PI on the PSPX2 forum recently. There is no doubt that is is a good program but does not have all the capabilities of PSP. You may not need the capabilities of PSP so PI could very well do all that YOU need.

A version of PI (probably limited in features or an earlier version) is provided by some digital camera maker, with their cameras.

.

[PeJa]

Download from Adobe (Photoshop Album Starter Edition) and play with it for a while - it's free and does all that you seem to need - and more.
PJ

[petersemple]

I have a very old version of Photoshop that you can put a rectangle over the photo that is constrained to the ratio you select. You can enlarge and reduce that rectangle, and move it. WHen you are finished it crops to that rectangle. We use that whenever we print digital photos in the Kiosk. That way, we get to choose what is cropped out, rather than letting the booth do it automatically. Ours is Photoshop 6 from memory. It would not surprise me if you could buy a full retail version very cheaply on ebay, as it is an old version, but it certainly does what you want (and a whole lot more besides)

Peter

[Pagie]

Or if you had an Mac you could just use Iphoto for cropping. I use Photoshop Elements3 for fancy stuff and Iphoto to crop to whatever size you want.

[Termite]

Slightly off subject, the Nikon D3 has the option of composing and shooting in the 5:4 format, just saves a bit of work later if you want a 10 x 8 print.