INTRODUCTION
There are times when a picture must be resized and times when it must be cropped.  The two are mutually exclusive as we will see.

DOWNLOAD AN EXAMPLE PICTURE
Open your browser and navigate to this lesson.  Click HERE to view the picture > restore your browser and move to reveal part of the Desktop > drag the picture onto the Desktop > click Yes.  Create a folder on the Desktop named 268 > drag the picture into the folder.  Open Photoshop Elements > close the Welcome screen > maximize Photoshop Elements > click the Open folder (on the Shortcuts bar) > navigate to the Desktop > double-click folder 268 > select the picture + Open.

PICTURE SIZE
In Photoshop Elements, click Image + Resize + Image Size.  Note if you multiply the pixels (width X height) X 3 (for RGB), the result is approximately the value given at the top which is the disk space taken up by the uncompressed image.  You can prove this by saving the image as an uncompressed TIF.  On the Desktop, double-click folder 268 > click the Views icon (on the Standards Bar) + Details (this displays the pictures size in Bytes or Kilo Bytes (KB)).  Take my word for it, the TIF is 3.278 M and the compressed JPG is 185 KB.  These figures are what I call size.  Change the Resolution from 85 to 200 pixels/inch and observe that Pixel Dimensions: changes size from 3.18 M to 17.6 M.

PICTURE DIMENSIONS
In Photoshop Elements, click Image + Resize + Image Size.  Notice the Document Size in inches.  Take my word for it, if you have your image printed to a size that is different, your print will have something cut off or added that you don’t want.  Cancel Resize Image and select the Crop Tool.  In the Options Bar, set Width=7 and Height=5 > make the largest possible selection > click and drag the selection around for the most pleasing picture.  Now make the rectangle about half as large and move it to the left center for another picture.  Press the Esc key and reselect the Crop Tool > set Width=11 and Height=14 > make the largest possible selection and move it to the right > reduce the size to include just the 2 boats on the right.  Press the Enter key to complete the crop.

SAVING YOUR PICTURE
After cropping, click File + Save As > change the File Name and Format: JPG > click Save.  The JPG Options Quality might be 12 if ordering a print or for competition and 0-5 for passing on in an Email.  Quality affects the image size only, not the shape.

CONCLUSIONS
Crop images to the print stock dimensions.  Size images small for Email and large for prints and competition.

GOOD WEB SITES:
LEISURE VILLAGE1: http://leisurevillage.us
LEISURE VILLAGE2: http://leisurevillage.org
BILL’S HOME PAGE: http://bzus.com