Making a 4 x 6 photo

[three_eyed_otter]

When resizing photos in Paint Shop Pro X2 to a 4 x 6 size they come distorted. What is the best way to resize a photo and maintain the proportions of the original photo? TIA...

have a good one
3Eo

 

[chrisburke]

sounds like your using the "resize image" button, when infact while it says resize image, you dont what to use that... you want to use your crop tool, and when it asks you want size to crop you crop it to 4x6....

 

[Big Mike]

Crop to the correct ratio, then resize.

 

[Katier]

My favourite way is to copy the image and paste it into a brand new image of the right dimensions. I can then scale (keeping both axis scaling the same) it until I have it fitted in the image as I like.

 

[Captain IK]

Crop to the correct ratio, then resize.

That's how I do it. I didn't think there was another way!

 

[Big Mike]

I don't know about PSP, but in Photoshop you can crop and resize all in one step by inputting the desired dimensions and resolution into the crop tool.

 

[three_eyed_otter]

But,,,,Is it possible to keep all of the image that I originally took? When I crop and then resize I don't get the total image.

have a good one
3Eo

 

[MikeBcos]

But,,,,Is it possible to keep all of the image that I originally took? When I crop and then resize I don't get the total image.

have a good one
3Eo

If you didn't take the photo on a camera with a 2:3 ratio, then no, some of it will be cropped. If you are using a point and shoot type camera many places now offer 4.5x6 photos that will allow full frame prints.

 

[three_eyed_otter]

If you didn't take the photo on a camera with a 2:3 ratio, then no, some of it will be cropped. If you are using a point and shoot type camera many places now offer 4.5x6 photos that will allow full frame prints.

Ah well this could be the issue then...I have never tried printing on my own w/my D40 (my 1st DSLR) so was unaware of any issues. For X-mas '09 I got a Nikon Coolpix as a P & S. I was trying to print some photos of recent computer building project and print out in 4x6. Maybe I should install the software that came w/the coolpix to see if I can get what I want?

The thing I don't understand is how come I can quickly resize a photo for email to 640x480 w/out losing any of the photo, but not to a 4x6. I think it's time to RTFM on the coolpix.

have a good one
3Eo

 

[MikeBcos]

The D40s photos will print 4x6, the Coolpix photos will need to print 4.5x6.

Does the Coolpix have an option to select the ratio? I have a Kodak that will shoot 2.25:3 - standard point and shoot and Older PC monitor ratio, 2:3 - 35mm and DSLR Ratio, or 16:9 - widescreen TV and monitor ratio. I have it set to 2:3.

 

[Big Mike]

Sounds like you were trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

If you image does not fit the ratio that you want...then your only options are to crop or to transform/distort the image. You can't take a 5:4 ratio image and fit it to a 2:3 ratio because they just aren't the same shape.

Now, if you have the latest version of Photoshop (CS4) there is a really cool new tool called 'content aware scaling'...which lets you scale/stretch you image without distortion to the important parts.

 

[Katier]

640x480 is 1:1.333 so unless your distorting the image then it won't go in either.

 

[three_eyed_otter]

It appears that adding a frame (digital) before hand will cause the image to severely distort when resizing...I tried adding the frame after resizing and I didn't get the distortion. The problem is: what's the point of adding a frame if you can't print it in a standard 4x6 format because the frame is too large?

have a good one
3Eo