Cropping without losing

[Skylynx]

I'm just starting with on-line prints. The big bugaboo with me is how to get a large pixel image to the online Giclee' printer, using my home camera.

My camera is good enough but I just can't take the picture without some bit of the frame or background showing, but don't want to crop for fear of losing pixels.
I was going to hire a photographer to make my image, but can't afford the $150 he wants. Meanwhile, I found out I can do the same crop he has to do, with Adobe photoshop.
If I can get the image up to specks I'm sending it to FineArtAmerica (if that's okay to mention.) Any tips on this do-it-myself endeavor will be most welcome!

[Diane Cutter]

I do this all the time. Take as large (in resolution) as you can with your camera. Make sure the photograph is centered. You will have to be sure to be in direct line with the piece to make sure the image is not wonky in your viewfinder. Leave a tad bit of 'stuff' around it.

Open the image in Photoshop, position it properly (sometimes a 1 degree rotation is necessary), then crop right inside the edges of the image. You can use the color adjustments in Photoshop, too, to make sure it looks like it's supposed to.

Others will have more info but you'll find, after doing this a few times, it's a 1-2-3 no-brainer.

Diane

[Skylynx]

Thanks a million, Diane. I'm finally getting to the place where I can understand Photoshop lingo. I almost, but not quite, have my image where it's ready to try with Fineartsamerica. I downloaded their list of requirements for a usable image and you confirmed I'm on the right track
I did have to get rid of Photoshop 7 and go back to 3.0. The 3.0 makes everything so much clearer.

[Diane Cutter]

You made me laugh because I'm no digital savant but I can do a mean crop... Glad I could help.

Diane