Getting started with Lightroom - Cropping
A quick guide to cropping an image
Another skill in creating a pleasing photograph is cropping the edges to reposition the subject, straighten the image or make the subject larger in the frame. This is very easily done in Lightroom as I will show you in a few simple steps.
Select the image you wish to crop from the Library area and then click on the Develop tab at the top of the screen.
If you are unsure how to get to this stage take a look at my earlier 'Getting Started' posts:
With your image selected and displayed in the centre of the work area look over to the right side panel and click on the Cropping Tool as shown below.
Clicking on this should make a cropping guide overlay appear on your image. If nothing shows type R on your keyboard to reveal the guide (type R again to hide it). The default guide is one that will divide the image into 9 rectangles, you can use this one to position the subject on the intersecting lines as in the 'Rule of Thirds'.
There are a few different overlay guides to help with your framing as well as the Rule of Thirds and these are seen below:
You can change from one layout to another by typing O on the keyboard, or selecting from the Tools - Crop Guide Display as shown above.
The different compositional layouts are
Grid - regular lines across and down the image
Thirds - for rule of thirds
Diagonal - to position your subject along diagonal lines
Triangle - another pleasing positional layout
Golden Ratio - as used by famous artists, this is a mathematical ratio often found in nature
Golden Spiral - also found in nature, think of ammonites and snail's shells
Aspect Ratios - this allows you to see where 2x3, 5x7 and 4x5 print sizes would fall
Play about with these to see what works best with your image. To crop the sides of the image grab one of the handles shown on the middle of the sides or in the corners to move the edge(s). In my image I am going to use Thirds to move the bottom edge up so that the edge of the pond falls along the lower third line.
If you can't position the edges where you want, or if the whole image is moving in, instead of just the edge you want to move, then check that the padlock shown at the right, in the Crop & Straighten area, is unlocked. Clock on it to unlock / lock it.
If you want your image to have a specific size you can click on the text next to the padlock to select from a list of sizes.
If you want a square image you can select 1x1 for example.
Click Done at the bottom of the image when you are happy with your crop.
If you need to straighten an image you can click on the Auto button, just below the padlock in the Crop & Straighten area. This will automatically detect lines that are not vertical / horizontal and move the whole image at an angle to improve this.
You can also straighten an image by clicking on the Angle spirit level in the Crop & Straighten area. The cursor changes to a spirit level and you need to click at one end of something you want to straighten and then click on the other end (either horizontally or vertically) and the image will rotate to make that 'line' straight.
A third way to straighten an image is by eye - with the crop overlay displayed hover your cursor just outside a handle and you will get a two arrow arc displayed. Click this and move it to change the angle of the image, release the mouse when you are happy with the angle.
Remember, these edits in Lightroom do not alter your original image. They are non-destructive. If you want to save this edit you will need to export the image. If you don't know how to do this take a look at my quick guide:
Comments
Post a Comment