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Adjust crop, rotation, and canvas size

This document outlines the different methods you can use to adjust your image's cropping, rotation, and canvas size.

Crop an image using the Crop command

  1. Use a selection tool to select the part of the image you want to keep.
  2. Choose Image > Crop.

Crop an image using the Trim command

The Trim command crops an image by removing unwanted image data in different ways than the Crop command. You can crop an image by trimming surrounding transparent pixels, or background pixels of the color you specify.

  1. Choose Image > Trim.
  2. In the Trim dialog box, select an option:
    • Transparent Pixels to trim away transparency at the edges of the image, leaving the smallest image containing nontransparent pixels.
    • Top Left Pixel Color to remove an area the color of the upper-left pixel from the image.
    • Bottom Right Pixel Color to remove an area the color of the lower right pixel from the image.
  3. Select one or more areas of the image to trim away: Top, Bottom, Left, or Right.

Crop and straighten scanned photos

You can place several photos on your scanner and scan them in one pass, which creates a single image file. The Crop and Straighten Photos command is an automated feature that can create separate image files from the multiple-image scan.

For best results, keep 1/8 inch between the images in your scan, and the background (typically the scanner bed) should be a uniform color with little noise. The Crop and Straighten Photos command works best on images with clearly delineated outlines. If the Crop and Straighten Photos command cannot properly process the image file, use the Crop tool.

  1. Open the scanned file that contains the images you want to separate.
  2. Select the layer that contains the images.
  3. (Optional) Draw a selection around the images you want to process.
  4. Choose File > Automate > Crop And Straighten Photos. The scanned images are processed, and then each image opens in its own window.
    Note:

    If the Crop And Straighten Photos command incorrectly splits one of your images, make a selection border around the image and some background, and then hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) as you choose the command. The modifier key indicates that only one image should be separated from the background.

Straighten an image

The Ruler tool provides a Straighten option that quickly aligns images with horizon lines, building walls, and other key elements.

  1. Select the Ruler tool . (If necessary, click and hold the Eyedropper tool to reveal the Ruler.)

  2. In the image, drag across a key horizontal or vertical element.

  3. In the options bar, click Straighten.

    Photoshop straightens the image and automatically crops it. To reveal image areas that extend beyond the new document boundaries, choose Edit > Undo.

    Note:

    To entirely avoid automatic cropping, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) when you click Straighten.

Rotate or flip an entire image

Note:

Image Rotation is destructive editing and actually modifies the file information. If you want to non-destructively rotate the image for viewing, use the Rotation tool.

The Image Rotation commands let you rotate or flip an entire image. The commands do not work on individual layers or parts of layers, paths, or selection borders. If you want to rotate a selection or layer, use the Transform or Free Transform commands.

Rotating images

A. Flip Horizontal B. Original image C. Flip Vertical D. Rotate 90° CCW E. Rotate 180° F. Rotate 90° CW 

  1. Choose Image > Image Rotation, and choose one of the following commands from the submenu:

    180°

    Rotates the image by a half-turn.

    90° CW

    Rotates the image clockwise by a quarter-turn.

    90° CCW

    Rotates the image counterclockwise by a quarter-turn.

    Arbitrary

    Rotates the image by the angle you specify. If you choose this option, enter an angle between ‑359.99 and 359.99 in the angle text box. (In Photoshop, you can select °CW or °CCW to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.) Then click OK.

    Flip Canvas Horizontal or Vertical

    Flips the image along the corresponding axis.

Change the canvas size

The canvas size is the full editable area of an image. The Canvas Size command lets you increase or decrease an image’s canvas size. Increasing the canvas size adds space around an existing image. Decreasing an image’s canvas size crops into the image. If you increase the canvas size of an image with a transparent background, the added canvas is transparent. If the image doesn’t have a transparent background, there are several options for determining the color of the added canvas.

  1. Choose Image > Canvas Size.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Enter the dimensions for the canvas in the Width and Height boxes. Choose the units of measurement you want from the pop‑up menus next to the Width and Height boxes.
    • Select Relative, and enter the amount you want to add or subtract from the image’s current canvas size. Enter a positive number to add to the canvas, and enter a negative number to subtract from the canvas.
  3. For Anchor, click a square to indicate where to position the existing image on the new canvas.
  4. Choose an option from the Canvas Extension Color menu:
    • Foreground to fill the new canvas with the current foreground color
    • Background to fill the new canvas with the current background color
    • White, Black, or Gray to fill the new canvas with that color
    • Other to select a new canvas color using the Color Picker
    Note:

    You can also click the white square to the right of the Canvas Extension Color menu to open the Color Picker.

    The Canvas Extension Color menu isn’t available if an image doesn’t contain a background layer.

  5. Click OK.
    Original canvas, and canvas added to right side of image using the foreground color

Make a frame by increasing the canvas size

You can make a photo frame by increasing the canvas size and filling it with a color.

You can also use one of the prerecorded actions to make a styled photo frame. It’s best to work on a copy of your photo.

  1. Open the Actions panel. Choose Window > Actions.
  2. Choose Frames from the Actions panel menu.
  3. Choose one of the frame actions from the list.
  4. Click the Play Selection button.

    The action plays, creating the frame around your photo.


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