Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
4.
Elements automatically straightens your photo (and crops it, if you chose that
setting in the Tool Options area, as explained in a sec)
.
If you don't like what Elements did, press Ctrl+Z/
⌘
-Z to undo it and draw another
line. If you're happy, you're all done, except for saving the file (Ctrl+S/
⌘
-S).
The Tool Options settings give you some control over how Elements handles the edges of
your newly straightened photo. Once the picture is straightened, the edges are going to be a
bit ragged, so you can choose what Elements should do about that:
▪
Grow or Shrink
makes Elements add extra space (blank canvas or an autofill, explained
below) around the edges of the photo so that every bit of the original is still there. It's up
to you to crop the image afterward (see
Cropping Pictures
)
.
▪
Remove Background
tells Elements to chop off the ragged edges to give you a nice,
rectangular image. The downside to this setting is that you lose some of the perimeter of
your photo—though just a bit, so it's not usually a big deal.
▪
Original Size
makes Elements keep the photo's dimensions exactly the same—even if
that means including some blank space along the perimeter or autofilling the blank space,
as explained next. You may also lose some of the edges of the original image, particu-
larly the corners.
The “Autofill edges” checkbox makes edge control easier than ever. Turn on this setting and
Elements analyzes the contents of your photo and invents
new
material to fill in the empty
spaces along the edges. It doesn't always do a perfect job, but it's absolutely amazing when it
works. Definitely give this setting a try.
If your photo has layers (see
Chapter 6
), you can use the Straighten tool to straighten just the
active layer (
The Layers Panel
) by going to the Tool Options area and turning off Rotate All
Layers. If you want Elements to straighten your whole photo, then leave this checkbox
turned on.
The Straighten tool is best for photos where you were holding the camera crooked. If you try
this tool and it makes things in your photo look odd, then perhaps straightening isn't what it
needs. Architectural photos, for instance, may look a bit crooked before you use this
tool—but a lot worse afterward. If that house is
still
leaning even though you're sure the
ground has been leveled correctly, then most likely your real problem is
perspective distor-
tion
(a visual warping effect). To fix that, use the Correct Camera Distortion filter instead
(see
Correcting Lens Distortion
).
