Instruction manual

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Another benefit of using the adjustment handles is that it shows you
the exact center of the selected image (usually a + symbol like in the
example). The center symbol moves as you move the borders; this
allows you to emphasize an object or area by centering it in the
cropped photo.
You may want to cut away certain parts of the photo to arrive at a
precise image size when creating online photo prints, especially if an
image is larger than the intended print size (e.g., a 5.25" x 7" image
may be cropped to precisely 5" x 7"). This is done by configuring the
Crop tool, where you can specify the aspect ratio for cropping; in the
example above you would select a width of 5 inches and a height of 7
inches.
Straighten crooked horizons. It’s not always possible to keep the
camera (or aircraft) level when taking a photo. In most cases its
appearance can be enhanced by straightening a horizon that is not
running parallel to the bottom of the photo. Some photo editors
enable you to crop and fix a horizon in one step. Others will require
use of the Ruler tool, and then cropping to produce a final photo.
7.2.1.2 Adjusting Contrast and Tone using the Histogram
Often the only adjustment needed can be accomplished by making tonal
adjustments to the image’s histogram (discussed in Chapter 2).
Tonal correction is the process of ensuring that the contrast in the photo
is good (i.e., the blacks, whites and other levels look the way you want them
to look). Because colors also have tones, many of the image’s color
problems will disappear with tonal correction.