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This tutorial demonstrates how to reduce an image’s size using either the Recompose Tool, the Crop Tool, the Image Resize Command or the Free Transform Command.
Sharpen Images
Create A Fill Layer
Optimise And Save Images
Resize Images Using The Crop Tool
Resize Images Using The Recompose Tool
Resize Images Using The Image Resize Command
Resize Images Using The Free Transform Command
The Crop Tool
To work along, you are welcome to download the Swans Photograph Here. Unzip the file and open the image onto Elements’ workspace.
Note
Photographs will always react uniquely, therefore, for personal results, experiment with different Resizing options and discover a technique that works best for you.
Undo Note
You can step backwards at any time by clicking the top menu’s Undo Tool.
Please Note: Elements 8’s Orange Horizontal Bar
The following Orange Horizontal Bar is exclusive to Photoshop Elements 8. Please link here to read my comprehensive Understand Elements 8, 9 and 10’s Workspace tutorial.
Tip
Centralise your image by snapping it to the horizontal red line.
One way of reducing a photograph’s size is by implementing the Crop Tool. Open a photograph onto Elements’ workspace, then from the left-side Toolbar, activate the Crop Tool.
Then left-click and drag out a Selection Marquee Bounding Box so it surrounds the area you want to retain. As soon as you release the mouse button, the area you want to retain (for example, the swans) will highlighted - and the surrounding area will be in shadow, as illustrated below.
Cancel The Crop Tool’s Bounding Box
If you have isolated an area in error, click the Cancel current operation tab to remove the Bounding Box, and drag out a new one.
You will notice that the Crop Bounding Box is surrounded by eight outer
Rectangular-shaped Transformation Handles and one central Repositioning Handle. By grabbing and moving one of the boxes (one at a time), you are able to either Reshape, Resize or Reposition the Bounding Box.
For example, to enlarge the Bounding Box’s right-side, grab the right-side Repositioning Handle, and drag it to the right - as illustrated below.
To move the Bounding Box to another area; hover your cursor inside the Bounding Box, and when you see the following Black Triangle: left-click and drag the Bounding Box to another area - as illustrated below.
Reposition The Bounding Box
To reposition the Bounding Box pixel-by-pixel tap one of the following Keyboard Arrow Keys.
When you have highlighted the area you are retaining, click the following Commit current crop operation tick. (Alternatively, tap the Enter/Return Key).
Your photograph will then be Cropped to the Crop Bounding Box’s size, as illustrated below.
Congratulations, your image has been resized using the Crop Tool.
The Image Size Command
To work along, you are welcome to download the Swans Photograph Here. Unzip the file and open the image onto Elements’ workspace.
Note
Photographs will always react uniquely, therefore, for personal results, experiment with different Resizing options and discover a technique that works best for you.
Undo Note
You can step backwards at any time by clicking the top menu’s Undo Tool.
Please Note: Elements 8’s Orange Horizontal Bar
The following Orange Horizontal Bar is exclusive to Photoshop Elements 8. Please link here to read my comprehensive Understand Elements 8, 9 and 10’s Workspace tutorial.
Tip
Centralise your image by snapping it to the horizontal red line.
To resize an image using the Image Size Command: from the top menu, choose Image then choose Resize then choose Image Size. From the subsequent Image Size dialogue box - experiment with different measurements and settings to see how they effect your photograph. I find the best settings to use are Scale Styles, Constrain Proportions and Resample Image. I frequently use the Bicubic Sharpener (for best reduction) setting: - however, photographs will always react uniquely, therefore, for personal results, experiment with different settings and discover a combination that works best for you.
Click OK to commit the change.
Congratulations, your image has been resized using the Resize Command.
Sharpening Images
After Resizing an image, it’s good practise to apply a Sharpening Filter afterwards. To apply a Sharpening Filter, from the top menu, choose Enhance - then from the subsequent
drop-down list choose a Sharpening filter that suits your photograph’s needs.
The Free Transform Command
To work along, you are welcome to download the Swans Photograph Here. Unzip the file and open the image onto Elements’ workspace.
Undo Note
You can step backwards at any time by clicking the top menu’s Undo Tool.
Please Note: Elements 8’s Orange Horizontal Bar
The following Orange Horizontal Bar is exclusive to Photoshop Elements 8. Please link here to read my comprehensive Understand Elements 8, 9 and 10’s Workspace tutorial.
Tip
Centralise your image by snapping it to the horizontal red line.
To resize a photograph using the Free Transform Command: from the top menu, choose Image then choose Transform then choose Free Transform - (Ctrl then T). Your image will immediately be surrounded with a large (Vector) Transformation Bounding Box.
You will notice the Transformation Bounding Box has by eight outer Rectangular-shaped Resizing Handles and one central Repositioning Handle attached to it - as illustrated below.
To reduce your photograph’s size: left-click over the top-right Repositioning Handle, and drag it diagonally towards the bottom-left corner. This reduces the Transformation Box’s size, and in turn reduces your photograph’s size - as illustrated below.
To Rotate your Photograph, hover your cursor over the right-side area and you will see the following Rotate icon (two arrows): now, left-click and move your mouse upwards and downwards.
To Reposition the Photograph, grab the Central Moving Handle, and drag the Photograph to a different position.
Move The Bounding Box Tip
To move the Bounding Box pixel-by-pixel tap one of the following Keyboard Arrow
Keys.
To complete the resizing operation, click the following Commit current crop operation
tick. (Alternatively, tap the Enter/Return Key).
Now, activate the Crop Tool.
And drag a Crop Bounding Box around just the photograph - as illustrated below.
Then click the following Commit current crop operation tick. (Alternatively, tap the Enter/Return Key).
Congratulations, your image has been resized using the Free Transform Command.
Sharpening Images
After Resizing an image it’s good practise to apply a Sharpening Filter afterwards. To apply a Sharpening Filter, from the top menu, choose Enhance - then from the subsequent
drop-down list, choose a Sharpening filter that suits your photograph’s needs.
The Recompose Tool
To work along, you are welcome to download the Swans Photograph Here. Unzip the file and open the image onto Elements’ workspace.
Note
Photographs will always react uniquely, therefore, for personal results, experiment with the Recompose Tool and discover a technique that works best for you.
Original Photograph
Recomposed Photograph
Undo Note
You can step backwards at any time by clicking the top menu’s Undo Tool.
Please Note: Elements 8’s Orange Horizontal Bar
The following Orange Horizontal Bar is exclusive to Photoshop Elements 8. Please link here to read my comprehensive Understand Elements 8, 9 and 10’s Workspace tutorial.
Tip
Centralise your image by snapping it to the horizontal red line.
The Recompose Tool facilitates intelligent resizing of photographs without changing important visual content such as people, building, animals, and so on. When resizing an image, normal scaling affects all pixels uniformly: the Recompose Tool affects pixels in areas that don’t have important visual content. The Recompose Tool enables you to upscale or downscale images to improve a composition, fit a layout, or change the orientation.
From the left-side Toolbar, activate the Recompose Tool.
You will then see the following Recompose Tool dialogue box that displays hints, tips and a Video Tutorial. Click OK to continue. If you don’t want to see the dialogue box again then mark the Don’t Show Again box.
The Recompose Tool’s Options Bar
The Recompose Tool can be performed without using the protect areas option: to recompose a photograph without marking areas for protection or removal, drag the image handles  .
However, for precision, it’s always best to protect important photographic objects or areas from being distorted - as demonstrated below.
Protect Or Remove Objects Or Areas
If you want to preserve or remove specific photographic areas when scaling an image the Recompose Tool enables you to protect content intelligently during resizing. For example, to prevent the swans from becoming distorted, activate the following Mark for protection
tab.
Then paint a Green Overlay over the area or objects you would like to protect from becoming distorted: for example the swans.
Tip
You can quickly Resize the Recompose Tool’s Brush by tapping your Keyboard’s Outer Bracket Keys.
Remove The Red/Green Overlay Tip
To remove parts of the Red/Green Overlay, click the Erase highlights marked for protection (or removal) tab, and paint to remove Red/Green pixels.
Recompose Tool Tutorial Continued
After you have applied your Green (or Red) Overlay, from the Recompose Tool’s Options Bar, click open the Presets and select a size of your choice from the subsequent drop-down list.
Your image will automatically crop to your chosen image-size, and areas painted with a Green Overlay won’t be distorted - as illustrated below.
Now, click through different Presets, and when you find a size you like - click the following Commit tick. (Alternatively, tap your Enter/Return Key).
 
Photograph Elements will perform the resize operation - and according to the size of your image and your PC’s resources - this may take a little time.
Now, activate the Crop Tool.
And drag a Crop Bounding Box around just the photograph - as illustrated below.
Then click the following Commit current crop operation tick. (Alternatively, tap the Enter/Return Key).
Congratulations your image has been resized using the Recompose Tool.
Further Recompose Tool Notes: Distortion
The following distortion occurs if you don’t protect the swans with a Green Overlay.
Remove Areas
To remove certain photographic elements, for example the seagulls in the distance; activate the following Mark for Removal tab.
And paint a Red Overlay over the area you want to delete, for example, the lorry and seagulls - as illustrated below.
Then apply your Preset choice.
The seagulls and lorry will then be removed - as illustrated below.
Now you know Elements’ Resizing options, take a little time to familiarise yourself with them and in no time, you’ll be resizing images without giving it a second thought.
Wendi E. M. Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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