Ok been trying to figure this out for ages, and I know there has to be an easy way to do this, Im just not finding it.

I have a lot of images at 3648 X 2736 x 24b at 5.9meg

Yep huge size I know but I don't have a macro lens at the moment so use zoom as best as I can and hi-res image

What I want to do is be able to crop these images to a more usable size for this site. 1280x960

I don't want to re-size the complete image, just re-size the focal point of the image using the crop tool. I know you can do this by trail and error and get close to the correct image size then re-size to suit. I was thinking there has to be a method to re-size to the desired image size using the crop tool.



Ok any ideas on how to do this...

Try changing the canvas size of the original image. That crops the image automatically, and you can set the exact size. You can even do it in increments with different anchor points if the part of the original you want to keep is not exactly dead center.

If I understand this right... there are a couple of ways you could do it.

actually after trying it... it didnt quite work as I had hoped. I was thinking that you could imput the crop dimensions in, but it doesnt seem to hold to the actual dimensions. It scales them to those dimensions.

So thats one way, that doesnt end up working. Unless someone has an idea on that.

The other way would be to create an empty document at the size that you want all the images to be, then drag your photos in, slide them to where you want them to be, and save them as an image one by one. The good thing, you get the same size and you can move the photo to focus on the area that you want. The bad thing, if you have hundreds of photos, dragging, sliding, saving, gets old quick.

I'd like to think an action would work, but where you want to focus on a different area within each photo, its not something that could easily be batched.

So, not sure if Im much help...

Uh! Stupid! Stupid...

...or use the marquee tool. Put in your dimensions, click the marquee tool to select the area that you want, and choose edit-crop. (I would create a shortcut key if you can for Crop, so you dont need to do that each time).

The marquee tool keeps its dimension settings throughout images, (which is how I was hoping the crop settings would be).

So that would probably be quicker, but keep in mind that you have more danger in overwriting the originals by editing them this way.

The new document version at least allows you to keep them as a different document, and if you wanted to, you can keep the layers with all the photos and save the PSD so you can go back and shift the photos again if needed.

As with most things in PS, there are a bunch of different ways to do things. Im sure someone will find a few more ways too.

sweet answers guys
Like the image paste idea quick and easy so will try that first, then the canvas size sounds quick and easy as well.
Once again thanks guys

Dewk's right, Ozman.

Use the marquee tool and do this:



Make sure style is set to fixed size, then plug in your values. (Not your moral values, 'cause we all know you ain't got them. ) Type "px" for pixels. Click anywhere on your image, and the marching ants will outline exactly the size you want. You can move the outline without affecting the image by clicking in the center and dragging. Once you have the ants positioned where you want to crop, go to image--> crop.

Page 1 http://www.creativemac.com/2002/04_apr/tutorials/psbatch.htm

Page 2 http://www.creativemac.com/2002/04_apr/tutorials/psbatch2.htm

There ya go.



Also actions can help cut time down on mass stuff.

only one way to do this, i use it all the time for photoalbums


set the size you want in the text boxes, crop the bit you want, the crop will be forced to that size every time, delete the size in the text boxes to get back to normal mode