Photoshop Elements 4: The Missing Manual

Image

The Image menu lets you make changes to your image. Here you can rotate a picture, change its shape, crop or resize it, or change the color mode.

Rotate

These commands let you change the orientation of your image. The first group of choices applies to your whole image. The Rotate commands are explained in detail on Section 3.2.1. Your options are:

• 90° Left

• 90° Right

• 180°

• Custom

• Flip Horizontal

• Flip Vertical

The next group does the same thing but on a layer or selection. The menu choices change depending on whether you have an active selection in your image. If you have a selection, you'll see Selection instead of Layer.

• Free Rotate Layer

• Layer 90° Left

• Layer 90° Right

• Layer 180°

• Flip Layer Horizontal

• Flip Layer Vertical

Finally you can choose to:

• Straighten and Crop Image

• Straighten Image

These last two commands are mostly for use with scanned images. To straighten the contents of an image, use the Straighten tool (Section 3.3).

Transform

The Transform commands let you change the shape of your image by pulling it in different directions. They're explained in detail on Section 10.1.4. Your choices are:

• Free Transform incorporates all the other three commands. You can also press Ctrl+T.

• Skew slants an image.

• Distort stretches your photo in the direction you pull it.

• Perspective stretches your photo to make it look like parts are nearer or farther away.

Crop

Choosing this command crops your image to the area you've selected. See Section 3.4.

Divide Scanned Photos ...