Printing 5x7 photos

[Ozark]

Hi,

I am using Elements 6 (Mac Version) and an HP 7410 AIO printer. I am having difficulty getting a photo to print properly on 5x7 photo paper.

I have downsized the image, and set the paper size to 5x7 borderless. The photo looks fine on the screen but when it prints out it is cropped and looks distorted. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thank You!

[Tina_B]

It sounds to me like a ratio/proportion thing. Are you trying to tell a 8x10 to print 5x7? if that is the case it will not print to a true 5x7. If you crop to a 5x7 first and then print it should go ok. I had the same problem when I was trying to print different sizes from one picture. for a better explanation type in resizing photos in the search from the tool bar and see what you get from there.
Tina B

[ATR]

Ozark,

I have Photoshop Elements 6, but on a PC not Mac, so I am not sure if there is anything that I am missing that is unique to the differences in operating system, but.....

In Photoshop Elements 6, have you gone to the Image Menu and resized and edited your image for 5 by 7 before heading over to the Printer which is set for 5 by 7 borderless? Look at the aspect ratios, 4:3, 3:2, 5:7.... Also you can crop to 5 by 7 in Edit, so that you are in control.

Often there are several places that need attention in Photoshop Elements Print dialog as well as in the Printer itself. So, make sure each is set to correspond to the other.

[frank abramonte]

How are you setting up the page setup?
My suggestion is go to Print Preview
In the Print Preview window click on Page Setup
In the Page Setup window choose your printer. Paper size, orientation and scale.
Click ok
This takes you back to Print Preview window. Check to make sure Scale to Fit Media is not checked.

Click Print.

In the print window check to make sure your printer is chosen.
Go to the Copies and Pages pull menu and choose Quality & Media
In the Media Type pull down menu choose the correct paper profile for the paper your using.
Then click on the Print Mode you wish.
Click Print.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1ANgeAcZuqj2IltbysKOXdUq5n8w001_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ANgeAcZuqj2IltbysKOXdUq5n8w001)

[Ozark]

Thanks everyone, for your quick responses!

I did not crop the photo first, since too much of it would be lost. Rather, I downsized the photo to 5x7 with resampling turned on.

I then followed the steps as outlined by Frank Abramonte. When I click "Print Preview", the image looks perfect onscreen. When I print it out, though, part of the photo is cropped away on the left side (I am printing landscape). Maybe I shouldn't downsize it first? Anyway, I will try again this evening and post back.

Thank You!

[frank abramonte]

When you downsized the photo did you save it before printing it?

[Diana]

I don't know about the Mac version, but in my PSE6 Print dialog there is a "Scale to Fit Media" box. When I click that it scales the photo down to the size to fit the paper without changing the aspect ratio.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1rF3yVPUXVdwfQseTZpCWMopitK9_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1rF3yVPUXVdwfQseTZpCWMopitK9)

Diana

[frank abramonte]

"Scale to Fit Media" is available in the mac version too.

[Ozark]

Hi All,

I tried this again last night. This time I did not downsize the photo; I just went to Page Setup and clicked on 5x7 borderless paper and then in the print menu I selected Print on 5x7 Paper. I did not check "Scale to Media". The resolution of the photo changed from 300 ppi to 512 ppi and the print came out fine!

I do not understand why the downsizing did not work. Maybe I did not save it first...I don't really remember if I did.

Thanks all!

[ricklepage]

Hi Ozark,

If you're a subscriber to the Photoshop Elements Techniques newsletter, there's an article in the new issue (V5N4) that talks about resolution and resizing. It's well worth reading, if you haven't seen it yet.

best,
Rick