Elements 6 (for Mac) cropping dilemma. Help!

[Bob32]

For whatever reason my Elements 6 (for Mac) program has suddenly lost its ability to satisfactorily crop my photos when I use the Crop Tool. When I attempt to crop a photo Elements produces a tiny spec that is presumably my cropped photo, but it is still too small to identify even when enlarged to 100% or even to 3200%!

Big help needed ASAP!

Bob

[Zeria]

Bob

Try resetting the tool ---- that's the triangle found in the upper left corner next to aspect ratio

[Bob32]

Pete,

Thanks for the clue. However, I have no familiarity with the reset triangle. I have never used it and have not been able to find out anything about it. No message appears when I hover my cursor over the triangle. Before I click on the triangle I would like to know what else, if anything, will be reset when I click on the triangle. Please advise. Thanks.

Bob

[Zeria]

Sorry Bob

I should have explained further.

When you click and hold on the triangle, you get two choices
Reset Tool
Reset All Tools

Select Reset Tool. Hopefully that will fix the problem.

If not, the closest "cure-all" for Elements is deleting the preference files. Here's Wendy's instructions from another thread (post #2)
http://www.elementsvillage.com/forum...ad.php?t=44588


Hope this helps

[Bob32]

Pete,

That did it!

You learn something new every day in Elements.

Thanks, Pete.

Bob

P.S. It looks like you are in the Windy City. I grew up in nearby Lake County, Illinois. I like your Comic Book Store photo which appears to be an HDR creation. I would probably sharpen it a bit more, but that's a matter of personal taste.

[Zeria]

Bob
I'm glad that worked.

Actually I'm in Eastern Pennsylvania. Last year we were in Illinois to pick-up our son who goes to school in the Chicago area. We had a short visit in Chicago, which included taking a tour by boat.

The Comic Book Store image is a result of a Be Creative Challenge --- this is the tutorial that was used in that challenge (High Contrast Sketch).

Thanks for taking the time to look at my images

[Bob32]

Pete,

I like the blending modes concept. I may have to check it out. Do you have the Photoshop Blending Modes Cookbook? If so, are the techniques described therein applicable to Elements 6 (for Mac) or do you need the full-blown Photoshop?

Any chance your son is attending Northwestern? That's my alma mater.

I would someday like to tour the Martin Guitar Co. factory located in eastern Pennsylvania in the city of Nazareth, PA.

Bob

[Zeria]

Bob

I have a copy of the Blending Modes Cookbook. Even though the book is aimed at Photoshop users, most of the recipes can be followed by Elements owners. As I re-call, a few recipes call for either Photoshop's Fade command and/or Fill opacity, both have PSE workarounds.