I want to post a video on YouTube. I've done this with videos, but this time the accompaniment to the song will only be a picture of the audio cassette. I don't know how to take a picture of the cassette and trim it, so that only the image of the cassette remains. I don't expect detailed instructions, but I would appreciate knowing what applications would serve this purpose, EASY TO USE ones, not Photoshop.
I think I've found the answer now that I've thought about it. First, what I want to do is "edit" a photo or, more specifically, "crop" it. I have found that there are hundreds of photo editing apps, many of them free, and probably most of them can be used to"crop" photos. However, at the moment, I'm going to study the program that my computer already has: Preview. It Iooks promising, but if it can't do the job, I'll just download one of the many free photo editing apps from MacUpdate.
I think I've found the answer now that I've thought about it. First, what I want to do is "edit" a photo or, more specifically, "crop" it. I have found that there are hundreds of photo editing apps, many of them free, and probably most of them can be used to"crop" photos. However, at the moment, I'm going to study the program that my computer already has: Preview. It Iooks promising, but if it can't do the job, I'll just download one of the many free photo editing apps from MacUpdate.
Preview can do it. Tools/Rectangular Selection, then Tools/Crop. Save or Export that, and you're done.
Network 23,
But what about curves (A man's face, for example)? That's why I now realize that "Preview" is not what I need. However, I've now downloaded "Gimp," and although I haven't yet started to use it, I'm sure that it will do the job. If it doesn't help, there are many more free photo editing programs out there.
I was wrong. I just saw instructions for "cutting people out of backgrounds" with Preview in one of my Mac manuals. I haven't done it, but the method seems like it would work; in fact, it looks brilliant to me. It uses a method that had never even occurred to me, a method that doesn't require a steady hand.
Originally I thought Preview couldn't cut out curves, but maybe you've found a way. If Preview can't, then you're right, you need to use the GIMP or a cheap editor like Pixelmator or Photoshop Elements. Or maybe one of those web-based editor.
Network 23,
Since you are interested, I thought I would type out the instructions for you, but I could only get so far. See what you can make of them. "If the background is simple--mostly a solid color or two--you can do this job quickly. Start by making sure the toolbar is visible. From the Select pop-up menu, chose Instant Alpha"
What "Select pop-up menu? I don't see "Select," or "Instant Alpha" anywhere. In fact, I've never heard of "Instant Alpha".
I might add that I am reading this from a Snow Leopard manual. I had assumed that the differences between Snow Leopard and Mountain Lion were trivial, so I never bought a Mountain Lion manual. Could this be the problem?
2nd repy to Network 23,
There is a difference. I have my harddrive partioned into two sections: Snow Leopard and Mountain Lion. I opened the Snow Leopard side and I found "Instant Alpha". I also saw how the clipping process is supposd to work--but it didn't. However, this entire exercise has decided me upon buying a Mountain Lion manual. These manuals are expensive, so I can only hope that Mountain Lion won't be replaced by"Alley Cat" one day after I buy the Mountain Lion manual. Wish me luck.
Wow...I never knew these features were in there. I explored my Mountain Lion version of Preview and found what you were talking about. See the picture. First you Show Edit Toolbar, then you click Instant Alpha. Instant Alpha looks like one of those tools where you click areas to define the background, not draw them. But I'll have to check that out later. (I'm not real motivated to learn it since I do have Photoshop.)
Anyway, it does seem to work in Mountain Lion too.
If some of the tools are missing from the right side, it's because the window is too narrow. Make it wider and the tools will be revealed.
Network 23,
I learned a great deal from your post, but I think that by shortening the length of the address/search bar, I can make a good start towards many of the problems I'm having. Do you know how to do that?
Processing photos with Mac and ? (What else?)
