Edit

Crop a picture

Picasa is non-destructive, which means the original photo is not affected by editing. Picasa will create a new file as the edited version when you export it (details at the bottom of this page). In the Library and Edit view the Picasa image will show the effects of the edits, but there will not be an actual edited file until you export a new file. To undo the edits right-click on the image in either the Library or Edit view and choose Undo All Edits. This only affects the Picasa image, not the original or any exported version.

Double-click a thumbnail in the Library to open the image in the Edit view. On the Basic Fixes tab click on the Crop button.

On the Crop Picture dialog choose Manual to make an unconstrained selection. If you want to crop to fixed proportions, for example to prepare for photo printing, click on the appropriate button -- 4x6, 5x7, or 8x10.

Place the cursor at one corner of the area you want to select and drag diagonally. When you release the left mouse button the area to crop out will be dimmed. Click Apply to complete the crop.

Tip: if you want to get to the edge of the picture start away from the edge and drag toward and beyond the edge. In the screen shot below I selected from the edge upward and lost part of the left foot. If I start above the duck and drag diagonally down I can select all the way to the edge.

Click the Tuning tab to adjust lighting levels.

If the Picasa tuning tools are not sufficient, you can edit the photo in a full-featured photo editor, if you have one, e.g., PhotoShop, PhotoShop Elements, PaintShopPro, or Fireworks.

1. Right-click the Picasa image in either Library or Edit view.
2. Choose Undo Edits.
3. Right-click the Picasa image again.
4. Choose Open With... and choose an editing application.
5. On the external editor menubar choose Save As...
6. Add "_edit1" to the filename and click Save to make a new file and leave the original untouched.
7. Make edits and Save.
8. Add the edited file to the Picasa Libary
• If the Folder Manager setting is "Scan Always", the new file will be automatically added to the Picasa Library as soon as it is saved in the external editor.
• If the Folder Manager setting is "Scan Once", go to the Picasa menubar and choose View, Refresh Thumbnails to add the new file.

Sharpen the revision.

Photos that are resized and/or cropped almost always need to be sharpened once. Sharpening a second time is almost always too much.

Click on the Effects tab, then click once on the Sharpen tab.

Remove red eye

1. Double-click a thumbnail in the Library to put it in Edit mode.
2. Move the slider at the bottom right of the Edit window to zoom in.
3. The zoom control box will appear, with a small rectangle highlighting the part of the photo that is visible in the Edit window.
4. Drag the highlight rectangle in the zoom control box to move to the part of the photo you want to edit.
5. On the Basic Fixes panel click the Redeye button.

1. Hold down the left mouse button and drag a rectangle around one eye.
• The rectangle should be about twice the size of the red area.
2. If your selection area is big enough, the edit will be applied automatically when you release the mouse button.
3. If your selection area is too small, nothing will happen, and the Reset and Apply buttons will remain grayed out. Try again with a larger selection area.
4. Repeat for the other eye.

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© 2006 Raymond D. Bland
Created: 4/12/06
Revised: 3/30/07