| 'Cropping' means trimming the edges off a picture. This is such a basic and
straightforward operation that you might be wondering why I did not include it
in the previous lesson, 'Corrections'. This is because cropping is often
deliberately used to change the impression given by a picture, and that is much
more than just correcting faults within the picture. As an example, look at the
picture below...
I think the picture would be better without the people, since it would give
the impression that the elephants are wild (which they are not, for I took this
picture in an elephant reserve in Phuket, Thailand).
Here are 2 ways to crop the picture:
 | First, the 'official' way, using the crop tool
 . If the tools toolbar is not visible
then show it by choosing View > Toolbars > Tools. You can also select the
crop tool simply by pressing 'R', even if the tools toolbar is not visible. Once the crop tool is selected, drag to create a selection rectangle that
includes the elephants but none of the people. If the rectangle that you have
created is not quite right then you can use the mouse to pull the 'handles' in
the corners and on the sides of the rectangle to change its shape. You can also
drag the whole rectangle into a new position by dragging any part of the
selection except the handles. When you are satisfied with the selection then
double-click inside the crop area rectangle to finish the crop (or
right-click outside the crop area rectangle if you made a mistake with the
selection and wish to try again). Save your work before continuing.
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| Another way to crop a picture would be to use the selection tool
 to place a selection rectangle on
the picture, then choose Image > Crop to Selection. |
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