In Germany the standard photo print sizes are different.  The frame sizes match those different print sizes.  The last three years I haven’t printed any photo’s because I hadn’t figured out the sizing yet.  I have now, and I’m ready to print!

This is part II in my Photoshop Crop Tool series, following up Crop Tool Presets earlier this month. I’m using photoshop CS5 and one of my new favorite photo’s. I took a fabulous photo of Cole this last weekend.  It is Cole.  It is Cole in his total teenage-self.  Long hair, attitude, and a sister constantly teasing and in his space.  I want to remember this Cole.

Anyone who has had a teenager knows that this is a very black & white time in their lives.  I wanted to represent that not just in his mood, but also in the literal black & white of the photo.  I used the fabulous MCP Winter Whirlwind™ Photoshop Actions from Jodi Friedman.  I adore her work and her actions make my photo editing so much quicker & better.

customcrop_01

I looked up the photo sizes in Germany on foto.com.  Then I needed to change the resolution of my photo. I always work in inches, for this I needed centimeters:

  • Click on the crop tool in the side menu bar
  • New tool bar info pops up on the top menu bar
  • Change the Resolution from pixels/inch to pixels/cm
  • I set all my presets to 300 dpi
  • I set the Width to 21 cm and the Height to 15 cm

customcrop_2

Now I can drag the crop tool to get the exact size I want.  Once I reach the bounds of my preset size, I can move the crop around my image and place it just right.  When I’m happy with the way my crop looks, I click the croppresets_checkmark in the top menu bar to commit.

customcrop_03

I want to save my new crop settings as Preset.  We are in Germany another 2-4 years, and I will be needing to crop more photo’s in those 2-4 years.

To make a new Custom Crop Preset:

  • Click the small drop down arrow next to the croppresets_croptool crop tool icon n the top menu bar
  • Click the fly out arrow; and
  • Select New Tool Preset
  • I named my preset EU Crop 21 cm X 15 cm

customcrop_04

I can now upload and order my printed foto at foto.com or any other German photo printing site.

IMG_7182

I’m thrilled I can finally ordered photo’s in Germany. I’m thrilled I can finally have new printed photo’s of the kids throughout the house.  I’m ashamed it took me so long.

I know quite a few of you are also stationed in Germany, or will be, and I know I need additional preset sizes.  I’ve created a series of 8 Custom Crop presets to help you, and me, crop our photo’s to German/European standard photo print sizes.  I’ve also included a text document to help you install the preset Custom Crop sizes.  You can click HERE to download these free.