Adjusting Your Photos with Pixlr
You’ve done all the prep work and set the scene. Now with the press of a button, you’ve got yourself a photo! But what if it needs some editing? Maybe you avoided using digital zoom by taking a wide shot that now needs cropping, or maybe you want to use your photo as a header image but it’s not quite the right size.
This kind of editing can be done with many different programs, from built-in picture management software to Adobe Photoshop. If you’re looking for a free (but powerful) option that works on Mac, Windows, and mobile, try Pixlr.
This kind of editing can be done with many different programs, from built-in picture management software to Adobe Photoshop. If you’re looking for a free (but powerful) option that works on Mac, Windows, and mobile, try Pixlr.
Getting Started with Pixlr
Open your web browser and navigate to pixlr.com/editor. You will be presented with several options for opening an image; you’ll most likely want “open image from computer.” Select the image you want to work with and click “open.”
Resizing an Image
Let’s say you have taken a photo that you’d like to use as the tall header on your website. The display size for tall headers varies slightly by theme but is usually around 900x300 pixels, so as long as your photo is at least this big, it will work just fine. If it’s any larger, you may want to resize it to save space.
In the menu bar along the top of the screen, click Image and then Image Size. A dialog box pops up showing the current size of your photo – this is a good way to make sure it’s big enough to be a header. Keep the Constrain Proportions box checked so your image doesn’t get distorted, and change either the width or the height to the value you require. If changing one makes the other too small, change the other instead.
In the menu bar along the top of the screen, click Image and then Image Size. A dialog box pops up showing the current size of your photo – this is a good way to make sure it’s big enough to be a header. Keep the Constrain Proportions box checked so your image doesn’t get distorted, and change either the width or the height to the value you require. If changing one makes the other too small, change the other instead.
When you are satisfied with the adjustment, click OK to resize your image.
Cropping an Image
Once your image is sized properly, you may want to crop out parts of it. Click the crop tool (located in the upper left corner of Pixlr’s toolbar), and the crop menu will appear at the top of the screen. Here, you can choose a type of constraint and a size.
You can choose to constrain the aspect ratio, meaning the ratio of height to width. This is useful if you want the image to have a particular shape, such as square for an icon or badge. You can also choose to constrain the output size of the cropped image. If you plan to use the picture for something that requires a specific size, like your site header, this is a good way to do it. For either type, you can then enter values for height and width.
Once you’ve chosen the appropriate type of constraint (or none, if you prefer to freehand it), just click and drag on your photo to define the area to keep. You can adjust this area by moving it around or dragging the corners to change the size. When you’re happy, just press enter.
Once you’ve chosen the appropriate type of constraint (or none, if you prefer to freehand it), just click and drag on your photo to define the area to keep. You can adjust this area by moving it around or dragging the corners to change the size. When you’re happy, just press enter.
Other Pixlr Tools
Pixlr has lots of tools and adjustments you can use to make your photos look their best. You can sharpen your images, remove red-eye, adjust focus, and even add text. Check out the Pixlr support page to learn more!