Proper borders

[john185k]

Evening folks,

I want to be able to put proper borders on my photos in Elements. At the minute the borders I add encroach into the frame, however I want to add a new layer (??) to make a proper border wide enough to put text into.

Any idea how I do this (I really don't know how to use PS.)

[NewNameNeeded]

Image --> resize canvas size

is the function you want, if I remember correctly. That basically allows you to increase the size of the picture, keeping your image in the centre. So you can 'grow' a border around the image without encroaching on it.

[flat-planedCrank]

Canvas size is exactly what you're looking for

[MartinP]

Create a new layer at the bottom of the stack for flexibiliy. If you don't, then PS automatically fills your image layer with the current background colour in the expanded area.

[john185k]

Cheers guys, will give it a try

[VxDuncan]

Really worth writing an action for IMO. Have a few set up that take the full size image, blur, resize to target (ie 800px for pbase, 604 for facebook etc), sharpen again, then canvas size to add the border. Saves a lot of time!

[bramley]

VxDuncan said:

Really worth writing an action for IMO. Have a few set up that take the full size image, blur, resize to target (ie 800px for pbase, 604 for facebook etc), sharpen again, then canvas size to add the border. Saves a lot of time!

Agreed - everyone should be using them.

In your list above you include blur - why is that?

[MartinP]

Actions would be the way to go, but I don't think that helps John as if I recall correctly actions is one of the features not included in PS Elements?

[VxDuncan]

MartinP said:

Actions would be the way to go, but I don't think that helps John as if I recall correctly actions is one of the features not included in PS Elements?

Ah. Doh!

Reason for the blur is it supposedly helps the down sampling when you are making large step changes in resolution. There was an article in one of the photo mags that suggested it was the thing to do, and seems to work! Something along the lines of blurring across pixel boundaries so the detail isn't lost. I tend to use it with the compact, where you have high res and over sharpened images where it seems to get rid of the "jaggies" (esp. on powerlines and the like) on the resampled image. Less needed with the DLSR where I have in camera sharpening turned off (prefer to control that myself). All depends on the image, and the size it needs to be. If there's some softness to the image it isn't worth bothering with obviously. Worth giving it a try for yourself though.

[bramley]

Thanks, I'll give it a go - I can kinda see some logic to it.