Once a selection is made, the next step is to get to work. The transform commands let you move, modify, or resize the area enclosed within the selection area. Transform gives you several options, such as Skew, Distort, and Perspective, which you can use to modify an existing selection, while Scale allows you to resize a photo, layer, selection, or shape. If you have scanned a photo that is not straight, you can use several commands to straighten, crop, rotate, and flip the photo the way you want. You can even use the Divide Scanned Photo command to automatically divide and straighten each photo into a separate file. With the Cookie Cutter tool, you can crop a photo into a shape, just like a cookie cutter cuts dough into a shape.
One of Photoshop Elements’ most powerful features is its ability to retouch a photographic image. If a photo is out-of-focus, you can use the Adjust Sharpness or Unsharp Mask filter, or Sharpen tool. If you want to reduce detail in a photo to highlight another area, the Blur tool allows you to manually soften hard edges or areas. The Correct Camera Distortion filter fixes flaws when shooting images that appear distorted. If you need to fix a specific area of a photo, you can use several different tools. You can use the Dodge and Burn tools to lighten or darken specific areas of a photo, the Sponge tool to bring out or mute color, the Clone Stamp tool to sample a part of a photo to apply it (fix) to another area, and the Healing Brush and Spot Healing Brush tools to correct small imperfections, making them disappear into the surrounding image. An additional touch up tool is the Red Eye tool, which not only gives the digital restorer an excellent tool for removing pesky red eye, it also removes the green and white reflections in pet’s eyes.
Once a selection is made, the next step is to get to work. Selections are not just to control color correction, or image enhancement. It’s possible you may need to use some of the transform commands. The transform commands let you move, modify, or resize the area enclosed within the selection area. Unlike the Free Transform command, Transform gives you several options, such as Skew, Distort, and Perspective, which you can use to modify an existing selection. The selection area is visually defined by a bounding box with nodes, or anchor points, in the four corners and the center of each axis.
In the Editor, open a document.
Select an area of an image using any of the selection tools.
Click the Image menu, point to Transform, and then click Free Transform.
Move to any of the four corners, and then drag to expand or contract the size of the selection.If needed, drag the slider to reduce/display the selection to drag the resize or rotate handles.
Move outside the bounding box selection until you cursor resembles a bent arrow, and then drag to rotate the selection.
Move to the horizontal or vertical center nodes to expand the image.
Press Enter, or double-click inside the bounding box to apply the transformation.
Click the Commit (green check mark) or Cancel (red circle with a line through it) button under the bounding box.
- Select an area of an image using any of the selection tools.
- Click the Image menu, point to Transform, and then select an option:
Skew. Lets you select a node and drag it in vertical or horizontal direction without affecting the other nodes.
Distort. Lets you select a node and drag it in any direction desired without affecting the other nodes.
Perspective. Lets you change the perspective of a selection.
- Select any settings you want on the Options bar and modify the transformed image.
If needed, drag the slider to reduce/display the selection to drag the resize or rotate handles.
- Click the Commit (green check mark) or Cancel (red circle with a line through it) button under the bounding box.
Did You Know?
You can create proportional transform boundaries. Hold down the Shift key while dragging a corner handle maintains the proportions of the image.
You can use the Free Transform command to create distorted images. Hold down the Ctrl key, while dragging a corner handle to create a distorted selection.
The 3D Transform filter allows you to take a 2D object and view it as a 3D object. You can transform a 2D object into a 3D cube, sphere, or cylinder and then modify it in 3D using wireframes. You can change a 3D cube into a box, a 3D sphere into a can, or a 3D cylinder into a bottle. In addition, you can use the Zoom and Hand tools to change your preview of the image.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the photo, layer, or selection you want to transform.
- Click the Filter menu, point to Render, and then click 3D Transform.
- Click Options.
- Select from the following options:
Resolution. Sets the quality of the rendered image: Low, Medium, or High.
Anti-aliasing. Sets the level of anti-aliasing smoothing to apply: None, Low, Medium, or High.
Display Background. Select to displays the original image outside of the wireframe in the preview and the rendered image.
- Click OK.
Create a 3D wireframe by dragging one of the following tools over the image area:Cube Tool. Maps the image to a cubic surface, such as a cabinet.
Sphere Tool. Maps the image to a spherical surface, such as a ball.
Cylinder Tool. Maps the image to a cylindrical surface, such as a can.
To move or reshape the wireframe, use any of the following:Move Frame. Select the Selection tool, and then drag a frame edge.
Move Anchor. Select the Direct Selection tool, and then drag an anchor point.
Add Anchor. Select the Add Anchor Point tool, and then click the right side of the frame.
Convert Anchor. Select the Convert Anchor Point tool, and then click the point (smooth to corner, or corner to smooth).
Delete Anchor. Select the Delete Anchor Point tool, and then click the point.
To move or rotate the object within the wireframe, use any of the following:Move Object. Select the Pan Camera tool, and then drag the object.
Rotate Object. Select the Trackball tool, and then drag the object.
Enter a value between 1 and 130 in the Field of View box to make the wireframe fit the image better.
Enter a value between 0 and 99 in the Dolly Camera box to adjust the position of the camera closer or further from the image.
Click OK.
You can use the Scale command in Photoshop Elements to resize a photo, layer, selection, or shape. You can use options available on the Options bar to help you draw the bounding box to the size you want. If the bounding box is still not right, you can move and resize it to get the exact results you want.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the photo, layer, selection, or shape you want to scale.
- Click the Image menu, point to Resize, and then click Scale.
- Use any of the following options to scale the selected item:
Height and Width. Drag a resize handle to the height and width you want.
Percentage. Specify a height and width percentage in the Options bar.
Relative Proportions. Select the Constrain Proportions check box in the Options bar, and then drag a resize handle to the height and width you want.
If deselect this check box, you can also hold down the Shift key as you drag to constrain proportions.
- Click the Commit (green check mark) or Cancel (red circle with a line through it) button under the bounding box.
The Cookie Cutter tool allows you to crop a photo into a shape, just like a cookie cutter cuts dough into a shape. After you select a shape in the Options bar, you can drag the shape within the photo to specify the area you want to crop. You can use Shape Options to help you draw the shape the way you want. If the shape is still not right, you can move and resize the shape to get the exact results you want.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Cookie Cutter tool on the toolbox.
- Click the Shapes list arrow on the Options bar to view the shapes library.
Click the triangle on the right side of the library to select other libraries.
- Double-click the shape you want.
- Click the Shape Options list arrow on the Options bar, and then select the option you want:
Unconstrained. Draws a shape to any size.
Defined Proportions. Draws a shape in proportion (height and width) to the cropped shape.
Defined Size. Crops the photo to the size of the shape.
Fixed Size. Specify an exact size of the shape.
From Center. Select to draw from center.
- Enter a Feather value to soften the edges of the shape.
- Drag within the image to create the shape size.
- Click the Commit (green check mark) or Cancel (red circle with a line through it) button under the bounding box.
If you have scanned photo that is not straight, you can use several commands to straighten and crop the photo the way you want. If you have several photos on a scanned page with clear separation between them, you can use the Divide Scanned Photo command to automatically divide and straighten each photo into a separate file. If you have an individual photo, you can straighten it or crop a portion to isolate just one part of the image. When you crop a photo and then enlarge the area you cropped, you lose photo detail. You can use the Straighten Image or Straighten and Crop Image commands to automatically perform these operations, or use the Crop tool on the toolbox or the Crop command to crop a photo by hand.
- In the Editor, open the file with the scanned photos you want to change.
The photos in the file must have a clear separation between them.
- Click the Image menu, and then click Divide Scanned Photo.
Photoshop Elements automatically divides and straightens each image in a separate file.
Did You Know?
You can also use the Straighten tool on the toolbox. Select the Straighten tool on the toolbox, click the Canvas Options list arrow on the Options bar, and then select an option: Grow Or Shrink Canvas To Fit, Crop To Remove Background, or Crop To Original Size. Select or deselect the Rotate All Layers check box on the Options bar, and then drag a selection box around the area you want to straighten.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- If you want to work with a portion of the image, select an area using any of the selection tools.
- Click the Image menu, point to Rotate, and then select the command you want:
Straighten and Crop Image. Straightens and crops the current image.
Straighten Image. Straightens the current image.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Click the Crop tool on the toolbox, and then drag a selection.
- Drag a cropping handle to resize the bounding box to the area you want to use. The area outside of the bounding box is cropped out.
- Click the Commit (green check mark) or Cancel (red circle with a line through it) button under the bounding box.
After you open a photo, you can change its orientation by rotating or flipping it. This is useful when you want to change the orientation of an object or image, such as changing the direction of an arrow. You can rotate or flip an entire photo, a selection or a layer. Rotating turns an item 90 degrees to the right or left or 180 degrees; flipping turns an item 180 degrees horizontally or vertically. For a more freeform rotation, which you cannot achieve in 90 or 180 degree increments, use the Free Rotate Selection command and then drag a handle on the bounding box.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Deselect a selection to rotate the entire photo, make a selection to rotate that selection, or select a layer to rotate that layer.
- Click the Image menu, point to Rotate, and then select the command you want:
90° Left, 90° Right, or 180°. Rotates the photo 90 degrees left or right, or 180 degrees.
Custom. Rotates the photo to a specified angle right or left.
Free Rotate Selection. Rotates the selection to a specified angle right or left.
Selection 90° Left, Selection 90° Right, or Selection 180°. Rotates the selection in a photo 90 degrees left or right, or 180 degrees.
Layer 90° Left, Layer 90° Right, or Layer 180°. Rotates the selected layer within a photo 90 degrees left or right, or 180 degrees.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Deselect a selection to flip the entire photo, make a selection to flip that selection, or select a layer to flip that layer.
- Click the Image menu, point to Rotate, and then select an option:
Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical. Lets you repeat the previous Transform command.
Flip Selection Horizontal or Flip Selection Vertical. Lets you select a node and drag it in a vertical or horizontal direction without affecting the other nodes.
Flip Layer Horizontal or Flip Layer Vertical. Lets you select a node and drag it in a vertical or horizontal direction without affecting the other nodes.
The Correct Camera Distortion filter fixes flaws when shooting images, such as barrel and pincushion distortion, and vignetting. Barrel distortion causes straight lines to bow out toward the edges of the image. On the other hand, Pincushion distortion has the opposite effect (straight lines bend inward). Vignetting is a defect where edges of an image are darker than the center. In addition, you can use the Correct Camera Distortion filter to rotate an image or fix perspective caused by tilting the camera. Although some of these corrections can be made with the Transform command, the image grid makes adjustments easier.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Click the Filter menu, and then click Correct Camera Distortion.
If prompted, click OK to simplify a layer.
- Select the Preview check box to view the changes to the image.
- Select from the following tools:
Hand Tool. Select the tool, and then click and drag to move the image within the view window.
Zoom Tool. Select the tool, and then click in the view window to zoom in, or Alt+click to zoom out.
- Drag the Remove Distortion slider left or right to precisely remove pincushion or barrel distortion.
- Select from the following Vignette options:
Amount. Drag left or right to create a light or dark vignette around the image.
Midpoint. Drag left or right to select the midpoint for the vignette.
- Select from the following Transform options:
Vertical Perspective. Drag left or right to change the image’s vertical perspective.
Horizontal Perspective. Drag left or right to change the image’s horizontal perspective.
Angle. Drag the angle option to rotate the image clockwise, or counter clockwise.
Edge. Click and select to fill in transparent areas of the image with the background color, Edge Extension, or Transparent.
Scale. Drag left or right to change the scale (size) of the image.
- Select the Show Grid check box to view or hide the visible grid.
- Click the Color box to change the color of the grid.
- Click OK.
The Adjust Sharpness filter attempts to sharpen the pixels of an out-of-focus image in much the same way as Unsharp Mask. The major difference is the ability of Adjust Sharpness to remove previously applied Gaussian, Lens, and Motion Blur filters. For example, you’ve applied a Lens blur to an image, but later decide to reduce the effect. The problem is that Unsharp Mask will attempt to sharpen what it assumes to be an out-of-focus image. If you want Photoshop Elements to automatically sharpen an image, you can use the Auto Sharpen command on the Enhance menu or the Quick Edit tab.
- In the Editor, open a document and display the Layers palette.
- Select the layer you want to sharpen.
- Click the Enhance menu, and then click Adjust Sharpness.
- Select the Preview check box to view the results.
- Select from the following Sharpen settings:
Amount. Drag the slider to determine the amount of sharpness applied to the image.
Radius. Drag the slider to determine the width of the sharpening effect.
Remove. Click the list arrow, and then select what type of blur effect you are removing from the image.
Angle. Enter the angle of the Motion Blur filter to remove.
More Refined. Select for a more accurate (slower) sharpening effect.
- Click OK.
The Sharpen tool allows you to manually sharpen the pixels of an out-of-focus image. With the Sharpen tool, you can select the areas of the image you want to sharpen. It’s best to make small sharpening adjustments with the Strength option, so you can see the changes as they take place and prevent oversharpening (a grainy look). If you want to use additional sharpening controls, you can use the Adjust Sharpness command on the Enhance menu. On the other hand, if you want Photoshop Elements to automatically sharpen an image, you can use the Auto Sharpen command on the Enhance menu or the Quick Edit tab.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Sharpen tool on the toolbox.
- Select from the following Sharpen options on the Options bar:
Brushes menu. Click the Brushes list arrow on the Options bar next to the brush sample, select a Brushes category, and then select the brush you want.
Size. Click the Size list arrow on the Options bar, and then select the size you want in pixels.
Mode. Click the Mode list arrow, and then select the blend mode you want.
Strength. Click the Strength list arrow on the Options bar,, and then select a sharpening percentage.
All Layers. Select the check box to sharpen all visible layers. Deselect the check box to sharpen only the active layer.
- Drag over the part of the image you want to sharpen.
The Unsharp Mask filter creates a visually sharper image by locating pixels that differ in value from surrounding pixels. When the filter is applied to the image, the bordering pixels specified by the threshold option get lighter and the darker pixels get darker. It’s important to understand that the Unsharp Mask does not actually sharpen the image; it only attempts to create the illusion of sharpness. Be careful, an over application of this filter creates harsh images with ragged edges and shadows. Also, the effects of the Unsharp Mask filter appear more severe on a monitor with its low resolution, then when the document is output to a printer.
- In the Editor, open a document and display the Layers palette.
- Select the layer you want to sharpen.
- Click the Enhance menu, and then click Unsharp Mask.
- Select from the following options:
Preview. Select the option to view changes to the image directly in the active document window.
Amount. Drag the slider or enter a value to determine how much to increase the contrast of pixels.
Radius. Drag the slider or enter a value to determine the number of pixels surrounding the edge pixels that affect the sharpening.
Threshold. Drag the slider or enter a value to determine how different the sharpened pixels must be from the surrounding area before they are considered edge pixels and sharpened by the filter.
- Click OK.
The Blur tool allows you to manually soften hard edges or areas of an image. With the Blur tool, you can select the areas of the image you want to reduce detail. It’s best to make small adjustments with the Strength option, so you can see the changes as they take place and prevent blurring. If you want to use additional blurring options, you can use commands on the Blur submenu on the Filters menu.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Blur tool on the toolbox.
- Select from the following Blur options on the Options bar:
Brushes menu. Click the Brushes list arrow on the Options bar next to the brush sample, select a Brushes category, and then select the brush you want.
Size. Click the Size list arrow on the Options bar, and then select the size you want in pixels.
Mode. Click the Mode list arrow, and then select the blend mode you want.
Strength. Click the Strength list arrow on the Options bar,, and then select a sharpening percentage.
All Layers. Select check box to sharpen all visible layers. Deselect check box to sharpen only the active layer.
- Drag over the part of the image you want to blur.
One of Photoshop Elements’ most powerful features is its ability to retouch a photographic image. When you want to manipulate an image, you can apply the Clone Stamp tool. The Clone Stamp tool allows you to sample the image, and then apply that sample over another same image, or another open image. By selecting the Aligned check box on the Options bar, you can reuse the most current sampling point, no matter how many times you stop and resume painting. When Aligned is deselected, you’ll reuse the same sampled pixels each time you paint. For example, you could use the Clone Stamp tool to repair damage to an image, remove a tree, even remove or add someone from an image.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Clone Stamp tool on the toolbox.
- Select a brush tip, and then select brush options, such as blending mode, and opacity on the Options bar.
- Select the Aligned check box on the Options bar to sample pixels continuously without losing the current sampling point. Deselect the check box to continue to use the sampled pixels from the initial sampling point each time you stop and resume painting.
- Select the All Layers check box on the Options bar to copy all data from all visible layers. Deselect to copy data from only the active layer.
- Click the Clone Overlay button on the Options bar, select the Show Overlay check box, and then select the options you want: Opacity, Auto Hide, or Invert.
- Hold down the Alt key, and then click an area to sample the portion of the image you want to use for your sample.
- Drag over the area of the image you want to restore or modify.
You can also use the Dodge and Burn tools to lighten or darken specific areas of an image. If you wanted to lighten the shadow areas of an image, you would use the Dodge tool, and conversely, if you wanted to darken the highlight areas of an image, you would select the Burn tool. While there are other ways to control the highlights and shadows of an image, such as the Levels adjustment, the Dodge and Burn tools are controlled by using a brush and dragging in the image. That kind of control gives you the option to choose exactly what you want to modify.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Dodge or Burn tool on the toolbox.
- Select a brush tip, and then select brush options on the Options bar.
- Click the Range list arrow on the Options bar, and then select from the following options:
Midtones. Changes the middle range of grays.
Shadows. Changes the dark areas.
Highlights. Changes the light areas.
- Specify the Exposure value for the stroke.
- Drag over the part of the image you want to lighten or darken.
The Sponge tool does not lighten or darken an image. You can use the Sponge tool to bring out or mute the color in a photo. It saturates or desaturates color values as you drag over portions of the image. Since over or under exposed images have a tendency to lose some tonal values and appear flat, you can use the Sponge tool (with saturate) to return some of the color values back to the image.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Sponge tool on the toolbox.
- Select a brush tip, and then select brush options on the Options bar.
- Click the Mode list arrow on the Options bar, and then select from the following options:
Saturate. Changes colors to make them more vivid (less black or white added).
Desaturate. Changes colors to make them muted (more black or white added).
- Specify the Flow value for the strength of the tool for each stroke. In Saturate mode, a higher percentage increases the saturation, while in Desaturate mode, a higher percentage increases the desaturation.
- Drag over the part of the image you want to lighten or darken.
These tools have become my favorite tools for working and correcting problems with digital images. The Healing Brush tool (New!) allows you to correct small imperfections, making them disappear into the surrounding image. This tool works from a sample of the original image, and then matches the texture, lighting, transparency, and shading of the sampled pixels into the source pixels. If an image contains a lot of random noise, before working with the Healing brush try lowering the amount of noise with the Reduce Noise filter. Once applied you can use the Healing brush to clean up the rest of the troubled areas. When you use healing operations in a separate layer, you gain control over the process; you can even use the opacity and blending mode settings to further control the healing process. Always use the Healing brush in a separate layer... always.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Healing Brush tool on the toolbox.
- Select a soft round brush on the Options bar.
- Select the All Layers check box on the Options bar to copy all data from all visible layers. Deselect to copy data from only the active layer.
- Hold the Alt key, and then click on the area of the image for a sample.
This area should represent the texture (not color) of the areas you want to heal.
- Use small short strokes and carefully drag over the areas you want to change, and then release your mouse and move to the next area.
The Healing brush works to match the sample to the source.
A tool in Photoshop Elements’ formidable arsenal of restoration and correction tools is the Spot Healing Brush (New!). With a name similar to the Healing brush, you might expect that the tools have similar features, and you would be correct. The main difference between the two tools is that the Spot Healing Brush does not require you take a sample of the area to heal. The Spot Healing Brush tool takes the area sample as you work by sampling the surrounding pixels. The Spot Healing brush, as its name implies, works best on small spots and imperfections. To heal larger areas, the standard Healing Brush, and even the good old Clone Stamp tool are your best bets.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Spot Healing Brush tool on the toolbox.
- Select a soft round brush on the Options bar.
- Select a Spot Healing Type option on the Options bar.
Proximity Match. Uses the pixels around the edge of the selection to find an image area to use as a patch for the selected area.
Creature Texture. Uses all the pixels in the selection to create a texture to use as a patch to fix the selected area.
- Select the All Layers check box on the Options button to copy all data from all visible layers. Deselect to copy data from only the active layer.
- Using small short strokes, carefully drag over the areas you want to change, and then release your mouse and move to the next area.
The Spot Healing brush works to match the sample to the source.
The Red Eye tool not only gives the digital restorer an excellent tool for removing pesky red eye, it will also remove the green and white reflections in pet’s eyes. The biggest generator of red eye is the onboard flash on your camera. Actually, if they would simply rename a camera’s built-in flash, red-eye generator, it might help amateur photographers pay more attention. However, until that day comes, designers will still have to deal with images that contain red eye. The Red Eye tool performs two operations: it desaturates the red values, and darkens the pupil. If you want Photoshop Elements to automatically fix red eye within an image, you can use the Auto Red Eye Fix command on the Enhance menu or the Quick Edit tab.
- In the Editor, open a document.
- Select the Red Eye tool on the toolbox.
- Select from the following options on the Options bar:
Pupil Size. Select the size of the pupil in relation to the amount of red eye.
Darken Amount. Select how much you want to darken the pupil area of the eye.
- Click in the middle of the red portion of the eye, and release.
The red is removed, and the pupil is darkened.
See Also
See “Using Full and Quick Edit” on page 140 for information on using Auto Red Eye Fix.