3464. Photography tips: A small butterfly image. Use Transform Tool to enlarge subject with losing quality - Dan Mold

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

March 18, 2019
Reference:
Practical Photography
Enlarge your subject without losing quality by Dan Mold
Photoshop Genius


I use Photoshop CC

March 18, 2019 exercise
Original image

Original image

After using Transform Tool

After transformation, image is 1800 x 1351 pix at 300 dpi

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COMPARE TO JUST USING THE CROPPING TOOL 

Original image

Using Cropping Tool only

After cropping, image is 1800 x 1350 pix, 300 dpi

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Dec 11, 2019 exercise 1

After many months of practice, this is what I do to use the Transform tool to enlarge the subject (butterfly) without losing quality. The steps are as follows:

1. Save image as .tiff, not as .jpg, so that quality will not worsen compared to using .jpg at the beginning.
e.g. IMG_6283butterfly_original.tiff (see below)

2. To transform the above-mentioned image,
Press Ctrl A
Press Ctrl T (transform).
Move the corners of image to enlarge it. Enlarge about 150% enlargement.

3. I resize original .tiff image as follows:   Goto IMAGE SIZE ---> RESOLUTION = 300 dpi (for printing image)
                                                                             W = 685 pixels   H = 514 pixels   Resolution = 300dpi
                                                                             Resample = Automatic (tick the box)


Save this image as IMG_6283LLbutterfly.tiff

4. Select Crop Tool. Use "Original Ratio". Now crop till you get your desired image. 

5. Then I use the following STEPS:
Brightness/Contrast
Shadows/Highlights
Exposure/Offset

Vibrance/Saturation
Curves
Filter --- Sharpen --- Smart Sharpen
             AMOUNT = 134%    RADIUS = 3.2px   REDUCE NOISE = 100% 

6.  Save as  IMG_6283MMbutterfly.jpg

Now the image is saved as  IMG_6283WWbutterfly.jpg for online or printing.

7.  The resulting images are as follows:

Original image

...LL.tiff image 

...MM.tiff image

  Save as...WW.jpg image

COMPARE TO THE IMAGE below
USING ONLY THE CROP TOOL 

After cropping, image is 1800 x 1350 pix, 300 dpi. The image is of poorer quality.

EXAMPLES USING THE TRANSFORM TOOL AND EDITING USING THE ABOVE-MENTIONED STEPS

Image is enlarged using the Transform tool as compared
to using the Crop Tool 

You can see the eye of the butterfly

Original image

You can see the eyes of this butterfly

Original image

Image is enlarged using the Transform Tool

Refer to another blog for the similar exercise on a damselfly

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2019/12/4025-how-i-use-transform-tool-to-get.html

You need to spend time to practise to make perfect. Good luck.