Building Out Sides to Change Aspect Ratio

<p>I have an image that was photographed in 3:2 aspect ratio and I want to blow it up to 8x10. Unfortunately, if I attempt to do this in the current form of the image, I have to crop off essential parts. Instead, I would like to add onto (or build out) the sides of the image so that I produce an image at 5:4 ratio (but somewhat larger than 8x10) and then crop it to 8x10.<br>

The image is of a person seated in a chair next to a window with a backdrop of blank wall, so I would have to build onto the window on one side, hardwood floors on the bottom and blank space on the other side (wall) and top (ceiling).<br>

I found a tutorial that showed me how to do this when the center of the image is surrounded by blank or neutral space, but none that shows me how to do this when the borders are not all neutral. For example, how to I add onto the hardwood floor at the bottom so that the pattern of wood flanks in the floor is repeated realistically?<br>

I am somewhat inexperienced with photoshop. Can someone tell me -- or point me to a tutorial that would tell me -- how to do this? I am not even sure what terminology to use for this kind of operation, which may be why my web and book searches have not been successful.<br>

Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>it can take a significant amount of time and skill in order to make it not look like cr@p. Why are you locked into 8x10 size vs. something that naturally follows the aspect ratio and a mat/frame to match?</p>

<p>You're already up to 9x6 w/ a 3x magnification so on a 10x8 piece of paper, you have 1/2 margin on one side and 1 on the other. a normal 10x8 will have 1/4 margins all around anyway.</p>

<p>Pls post the image so we can take a peek and perhaps offer suggestions.</p>

<p>I agree with Howard that, if you lack experience, you should be looking at other solutions. Either hire a professional to do the Photoshop work or re-think your 8x10 requirement. <br>

You can fit the entire photo inside an 8x10 and then cut mat to size in order to cover up the white borders.<br>

You can print to 8x12. </p>

 

<p>Like Howard, I'm sort of nonplussed by the <em>requirement</em> to go to 8x10.<br>

Just print the maximum dimension to 10" or whatever and then use a mat to restrict the width? Or cut off the paper? ....<br>

A copy of the picture might make it clearer? </p>

 

<p>Sounds like a job for the Content Aware functionality of Photoshop but even that will require some Photoshop and retouching skills. Here's an easy example that doesn't take quite as much skill but will give you an idea:<br>

http://gabyawadphotography.com/blog/2014/6/11/enlarging-the-photo-using-the-crop-tool</p>

<p>Yes, you want to use Content Aware scale and use a mask to protect the subject. That's probably your best bet. Here's a tutorial....</p>

<p>

<p>Thanks, everyone! I'll check out some of these tutorials, but it sounds like I may need to discard the strict 8 x 10 requirement or try some of these other solutions for playing with the size.<br>

I really appreciate your help, everyone!</p>

<p>I'm of the belief that the image wants to be whatever size/aspect/crop it needs to be in order to reach the 'vision' I had when I pressed the shutter and if the paper mfgr's cant get in-line w/ the sensor people and offer a rational set of sizes (and I am so jealous of the guys who refuse to crop anything), then I'm going to roll my own. And, I kind of like having big and possibly non-even borders all around. </p>

<p>I couldn't agree more with Howard. Some arbitrary crop, based on paper size or sensor and not image content is not fair to the image itself or the photographers vision. </p>