Printing probelms--please help!

[Maria]

I'm a rather long-standing Elements user but recently switched to a Mac (using PSE 6.0) and am trying to print a photo for the first time.

For the life of me I cannot figure out the issue of sizing...for example, I have a regular photo opened in PSE. I want it to print onto a 4X6 piece of photo paper with no borders or very minimal borders (basically I want the 4X6 paper to be filled with the image). Obviously I am setting something wrong or missing an important setting because I have managed to make prints on the 4X6 paper where the image itself is tiny (1 3/4 # 2 1/2) or not quite big enough (3 1/4 X 4 1/2)...can someone please walk me through exactly what settings to specify and how and where so that I can accomplish this seemingly simple task (and not regret switching to a Mac)? :(

Thank you!!

[frank abramonte]

Maria, to begin with, what size is the original photo?
Open the photo and go to Image>Image Size.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1THLei6aRYR5k58N2bg7qtAq084_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1THLei6aRYR5k58N2bg7qtAq084)


Post this information so we can begin to guide you.

[Maria]

Thanks Frank. The image is as follows:

Width: 15.903 inches
Height: 21.278 inches
Resolution: 72 pixels/inch

[frank abramonte]

Maria, I use CS2 which may be slightly different from Elements, but this can all be done in Elements.:
You should resize your photo before printing to the size you wish to print.
Your goal is to get (scale) the size you wish to print with a resolution as close to 300 as possible.
The illustrations below will show you how your photo will resize.
Your photo aspect ratio will not scale to an exact 4 x 6.
If you wish to scale perfectly to 4 x 6 you would have to either add to the Height dimension or crop from the Width dimension.

Resizing can be achieved in the following way:
Uncheck Resample and Constrain Proportions.
Note how your photo will reduce depending on whether you choose 4" or 6".

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1AKtbnPqGfZM3gyvAxkzSX3SB0vNv1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1AKtbnPqGfZM3gyvAxkzSX3SB0vNv1)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Sy7I25O94Lh34DwHFICXO4tE5ona_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Sy7I25O94Lh34DwHFICXO4tE5ona)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1BdQOy9PsHcgEcnkVYCY6jSJ4UgOW1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1BdQOy9PsHcgEcnkVYCY6jSJ4UgOW1)


Important: When you resize save the new size with a different name so that you maintain the original unchanged.


If you need additional info post back.