MacLife - UK (2020-02)

Straighten tool

Open your photo in the Expert

mode. In this example, our subject is

too small in the frame and the horizon

is tilted. Pick the Straighten tool, then

in the Options bar tick the Rotate All

Layers and Autofill Edges boxes.

Measure the tilt

Drag the Straighten tool along

the tilted horizon. This measures and

then counteracts the angle of the tilt,

creating a straight horizon. Any

transparent edges are auto filled with

appropriate pixels of sea and sand.

Crop and zoom

Grab the Crop tool. In the

Options bar, choose Use Photo Ratio to

preserve the shot’s shape. Draw a crop

box. Drag the corners to tighten the

box and zoom in on the subject. Drag

inside the box to recompose the shot.

IT CAN BE a challenge to

capture a well–composed shot.

Without a telephoto lens your

subject may look too small in

the frame. You may accidentally tilt the

camera and create a sloping horizon. And

you can’t always control the presence of

unwanted people or objects in the

background of your photo.

Fortunately, Photoshop Elements has

some powerful pixel–pushing tools to

help you overcome common composition

problems and improve your pictures.

Crop and recompose

How to improve composition and remove unwanted objects

In this walkthrough, we’ll show you

how to straighten tilted horizons and

crop to focus closer on your subject.

You will learn how to use the intelligent

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quickly reposition an object for a more

balanced arrangement.

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ugly objects, such as electricity cables,

courtesy of the Spot Healing Brush and

the Clone Stamp tool. You’ll then be able

to create cleaner and more considered

images. GEORGE CAIRNS

REQUIRES

Adobe Photoshop

Elements 2019/2020

YOU WILL LEARN

How to use the

Crop, Straighten

and Content–Aware

Move tools

IT WILL TAKE

15 minutes

HOW TO Crop and straighten

Create

84 FEB 2020 maclife.com Image rights: Apple.