Printing Images for Composite Frame

[Abak671022]

I have 2 composite frames that were gifted to me that I would like to fill with photos I've taken of my daughters.  All of the images I plan to include in the frame are similar, but they were taken months apart, obviously, so they are all composed slightly differently.  What is the best way to print these for the frame without having to do tons of trial and error as far as size of print?  I know each image will ultimately have to be cut down to size for the frame after printing, but if I printed each image in a 4x6 size, I can't guarantee the pictures will all look uniform after cutting if that makes sense.  I'm drawing a blank as to what to do.  I'm attaching a photo of the frame so you can see what I'm talking about.

Thanks!

[Damien Symonds]

Do they have to be separate photos?  Will it be possible to print one big photo with the photos positioned correctly, and just put it in there?

[Abak671022]

I haven't checked my lab lately because it's been awhile since I printed anything, but the glass in the frame is 9.25 x 11.25 so that would be sort of an odd size for a print. I measured the paper that is included in the frame and from the top of the top photo (newborn) to the bottom of the 6 month photo is 9.75 in and from the far left of the 9 month photo to the far right of the 3 month photo is exactly 8 inches so an 8x10 could potentially work.  I'm not opposed to doing one 8x10 and taping it to the glass if it would be easier to get a more uniform appearance to the photos.

[Damien Symonds]

Oh heck yes!!!!!!!  There's a paper included in the frame?  Does it have sample photos printed on it?

[Abak671022]

Yes there's a paper inside the frame with the sample photos printed on it..it's just larger than a standard sheet of paper.  I do have a standard printer/scanner but the paper is wider than my scanner bed.

 

[Damien Symonds]

Scan it in two pieces, then?  And put them together?  It's easy enough to do.

If you can get this right, the rest will be SO easy.

[Abak671022]

Ok so scan it in 2 pieces.  Probably a dumb question but scan to .pdf or .jpeg?

[Damien Symonds]

Jpeg is fine.  It doesn't even need to be particularly high quality.

[Abak671022]

Ok here is the combined image.

[Damien Symonds]

Excellent.

Next comes the important step of making it exactly the right size.

I need you to get a ruler or tape measure, and measure the exact distance here to here (top of top head to bottom of bottom leg):

[Abak671022]

Ok it's 24.6cm

[Damien Symonds]

Great.

What is your print resolution for your lab?  300ppi?

[Abak671022]

Yes, it's 300ppi

[Damien Symonds]

Excellent.  One more question, do you still have the two scanned parts of the image as two separate layers?  Or have you flattened them together?  (It doesn't matter either way, I just need to know).

[Abak671022]

I have both, I kept one with the layers as a psd and saved the other as a flattened .jpeg for posting on here

[Damien Symonds]

Good, we'll use the PSD of course.

So here's what to do:

First, select both the layers of the PSD (the two scanned sections) and go to Layer>Smart Object>Convert to Smart Object.  This will combine the two layers into one smart layer.

Then choose your Crop Tool.  Enter the two values you gave me - 24.6cm for the height, and 300 for the resolution.  Leave the Width blank:

Then draw a tall thin crop marquee, that goes EXACTLY where you took the measurement before - that is, from the top of the top head to the bottom of the bottom leg.  Crop it:

Then go to Image>Reveal All.  The whole of the image will be back again, and now the measurement will be exactly correct.

Let me know when you've done that.

[Abak671022]

Ok am I maybe missing something?  I'm not seeing an option for smart object.  I only have Elements...not sure if that's the difference here.  

[Damien Symonds]

Oh darn, I'm SO sorry, I didn't even think to check.

It's ok, there's an Elements method as well.  But for this, I'll also need you to take a horizontal measurement as well.

I suggest maybe ear to ear?

[Abak671022]

I'm glad I wasn't losing my mind ok so ear to ear it's 18.9cm 

[Damien Symonds]

Excellent.  So make a new blank document at those dimensions - 18.9x24.6cm at 300ppi.

Then File>Place the PSD of your scan into it.  Then resize it so that (as accurately as possible) the edges that you measured (head, leg, ear, ear) touch the sides of the document.  Make sure you maintain proportions as you resize, don't let it distort.  https://www.damiensymonds.net/2013/02/resizing-photos-in-templates-ps-pse.html

Let me know when you've done that.

[Abak671022]

Ok I've done this step above!

 

[Damien Symonds]

Excellent.  Now go to the Canvas Size dialog, and increase the dimensions to 8 inches by 10 inches.  That'll be the most logical print size, won't it?

[Damien Symonds]

Once you've done that, you're ready to go.  Just lower the opacity of the scan layer to about half.  Then return to the Background layer, and start File>Placing  the photos you want.  Use the scan layer as your guide of where to position them.  Remember, you DON'T NEED TO MASK THEM, except very loosely to make sure they're not overlapping each other, is all.

 

[Damien Symonds]

So, for example, if I was going to fill this frame with my son's basketball team photos, my progress would look like this:

[Abak671022]

Thank you soo much for this help!  I have started placing my first photo and I'm noticing a problem.  I'm not sure if this is something I should take to the layers and masks class, but I'll ask it here and if it needs to be moved just let me know.  I was masking the first photo and when I turned off the scan layer to check the masking, I can still see the edges of the original photo (though the opacity is extremely low where I had roughly masked over where the other photos will sit.  I'm attaching a screenshot of my layers panel with the scan layer turned off so you can see what I mean.  I had the brush opacity set to 100% and it isn't a soft brush either, so I'm not sure exactly where I'm going wrong.  I also checked my colors to make sure they were set to default black and white.