A Dark and Stormy Day

smoke665 · Apr 19, 2021

jeffashman said:
Yes, it maintains the same pixel dimensions. I'm sure that PS does the same thing; just haven't found it yet. PS has a lot of knobs and switches and things. It would be nice to have a "lock dimensions" check box in the crop window, and it may be there, and these old eyes just haven't found it yet.

I'm wondering if you're confusing terms. "Document size" is the physical dimension (height x width) of an image. "Resolution of the image" is the number of pixels per inch. "Aspect Ratio" is the lowest proportional relationship between its width and its height. IE: an 8x10 has a 4:5 aspect ratio, a 4x6 is 2:3, then you get 5x7 which has an aspect ratio of 5:7 or 11x14 at 11:14, because they can't be reduced further. "Pixel Dimension" = "Resolution" x "Document Size". IE an 8x10 image at 300ppi would have a "Pixel Dimension 2400 (8x300) by 3000 (10x300).

You can in fact manage all of the above in Ps, but I never crop an original file in Ps because its a destructive edit. Lets say you crop to a 4:5 Aspect Ratio and later decide you need a 2:3, "Content Aware, don't fail me now. Instead I do all cropping in Lr and only crop at the point I'm ready to export. In Lr Library Module, right click on an image in the drop down that appears choose "Create Virtual Copy" an exact copy of your image will appear in the Library. This is what you will crop. I generally delete them when I'm done to keep confusion down. Now open the Virtual Copy" in the Develop Module. Fyi you can also edit this copy just as if it was the original, but edits made to the copy don't affect the original. To crop click on the crop tool (the rectangular box with dotted lines). This box will open, and a crop grid will appear on your image. To the right of aspect ratio you'll see Original (that's the original format) to the right of that is a padlock. If the padlock is locked any changes you make by dragging a corner of the grid will affect the other side of the grid equally. If you click on it, and unlock it, you can make changes to the grid independently. If you click on Original a drop down box appears giving you multiple aspect ratios to choose from. The Angle slider allows you to tilt the crop box to allow you to correct horizon in the image.

It's important to note that none of the crop functions affect the resolution of the image. If you had a 300 ppl image and cropped out a section, you still have a crop with 300 ppl, but your total file size is reduced because you only have a part of the original.

The place where you change your resolution is in the "Export" function. (File>Export) The export dialog box comes up giving you several options, one of which is "Image Size". If you leave the box unchecked it will export the image at its original resolution, you can specify the number of pixel on a side, and change the resolution. It's important to note that adjustments here affect the Resolution of the exported image but not the Aspect Ratio. If you had 2:3 Aspect Ratio going in you'll have a 2:3 Aspect Ratio when yo Export.

jeffashman · Apr 19, 2021

Thank you! More great information! I need to start pasting these into OneNote so I have a folder of info I can refer to.

smoke665 · Apr 19, 2021

jeffashman said:
Thank you! More great information! I need to start pasting these into OneNote so I have a folder of info I can refer to.

Understanding the terms is important, because this is one area of digital images that many find confusing.

rambler · Apr 21, 2021

This article might help you with the cropping tool in PS

Cropping to an exact size in Photoshop, ultimate Photoshop crop tutorial

jeffashman · Apr 21, 2021

rambler said:
This article might help you with the cropping tool in PS

Cropping to an exact size in Photoshop, ultimate Photoshop crop tutorial

Thank you!

rambler · Apr 28, 2021

Overread wrote some very helpful tips, and referring to #4 here are some more ideas.
Set up some perches around your feeders or use a bird bath to attract the birds. Using perches, you can also choose the background, especially one that you can blur.
Just google backyard bird photography and you will find many youtube submissions. A favorite photographer who also teaches is Moose Peterson. Here is a random video with some good ideas which also include camera settings.

rambler · Apr 28, 2021

Here is a link for an easy made bird bath holder: (scroll down to find it)

DIY Tomato Cage Bird Bath

jeffashman · Apr 28, 2021

rambler said:
Overread wrote some very helpful tips, and referring to #4 here are some more ideas.
Set up some perches around your feeders or use a bird bath to attract the birds. Using perches, you can also choose the background, especially one that you can blur.
Just google backyard bird photography and you will find many youtube submissions. A favorite photographer who also teaches is Moose Peterson. Here is a random video with some good ideas which also include camera settings.

rambler said:
Here is a link for an easy made bird bath holder: (scroll down to find it)

DIY Tomato Cage Bird Bath

Thank you! Some great information! Really like that bird bath idea.

weepete · May 24, 2021

I'm not a fan of having feeders in my shots, so I'm trying to posittion them and catch the birds on their way to the feeder. It's not super easy though!

Generally I think that if I'm are going to include the feeders in the shot there's 2 things I'd be looking for and that's detail and light. Otherwise I find the man made element just too overpowering for the scene. If I'm going to do a rainy shot I'll try and catch the weather as it's changeable and the sun is peaking through otherwise I find the lighting is a bit too mediocre

jeffashman · May 25, 2021

weepete said:
I'm not a fan of having feeders in my shots, so I'm trying to posittion them and catch the birds on their way to the feeder. It's not super easy though!

Generally I think that if I'm are going to include the feeders in the shot there's 2 things I'd be looking for and that's detail and light. Otherwise I find the man made element just too overpowering for the scene. If I'm going to do a rainy shot I'll try and catch the weather as it's changeable and the sun is peaking through otherwise I find the lighting is a bit too mediocre

Agreed, but it's good practice for me. I'm playing with the idea of making a more pleasing-to-the-eye feeder with more "branches" so that it is a little more natural in an artsy sort of way.