56
C
ONTENT-AWARE SCALING WAS ONE OF THE BIG
new features in Photoshop CS4. The technology allows
us to resize images without distorting the key elements. It’s able
to recognize details within the image and leave them largely
untouched, while compressing or expanding uninteresting areas
of background instead.
It’s not perfect, but given the right image the results can be
extraordinary. We’ll use the technique to turn the landscape
shot, above, into a portrait view suitable for a magazine cover.
1
Here’s what happens when we simply use Free Transform
to make the scene narrower. Everything is compressed,
and the people look unnaturally thin.
4
Check the Person icon on the Options bar: the golfer is
now undistorted. But that golf caddy, second from left, is
too squeezed up.
IMAGES: ABSOLUTVISION, HEMERA PHOTO-OBJECTS
Content-Aware Scaling
Scaling cutouts
2
Transformation and distortion
SHORTCUTS
MAC WIN BOTH
57
HOT TIP
Expect miracles,
but expect to be
disappointed
occasionally.
Content-Aware
Scaling won’t work
with all images,
or in all situations.
It’s best when
backgrounds
are clear and
uncluttered, such
as the grass here.
The fact that the
trees were all a
uniform color
helped Photoshop
to distinguish
between them
and the people.
2
Use COSc LASc to activate
Content-Aware Scale, and drag one of the side handles in.
The image is squeezed up, without the people distorting.
5
We can tell Photoshop not to distort a particular area.
Make a selection of it (I’ve used QuickMask), then use
Select > Save Selection to save it as a new channel.
7
Content-Aware Scaling works well
for cutout objects, too. We can
make the pistol, left, as long or as short
as we want (the original is at the top)
simply by using Content-Aware Scaling
to stretch it. No need to make an initial
selection: Photoshop automatically
works out which are the interesting
parts and which are the boring parts,
and acts accordingly.
It’s the same for the lamp post, right.
We can make it any height we choose.
Again, no initial selection is necessary.
3
When we squeeze too much, people do distort – such
as the golfer on the far right. He’s clearly suffering from
serious emaciation.
6
Now click the Protect pop-up menu on the Options
bar, and choose the channel you just created. This will
prevent this selection from being distorted.
How to Cheat in Photoshop CC
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