Expert: Kamal Krishna - 6/4/2007

Question
QUESTION: I have been provided several photographs which were take on picutes in a book. they were taken with a digital camera at a slight angle and are foreshortened to create a trapesoidal effect.

Does Photoship CS2 offer any way to "distort" the photos so that the narrowing of one edge is removed and they return to a rectangular shape?   From \ /  to | |

If so, how?

ANSWER: Hi Don,
there are two ways that i know of...

1) Go to image > canvas size and decrease the the size of the side you want to reduce.

2) Crop Tool: Select the Crop tool and draw a rectangle across, for the area U want to be saved.

Since you mentioned several photographs, its better you record the above methods into actions (Window actions) and run Batch Processing (File > Automate > Batch)

Here's a simple tutorial for actions if you may need some help. (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/59116/photoshop_tutorial_actions_in_pho)

Let me know for further guidance.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:   Perhaps I did not completely understand your answer.  I am not interested in cropping the image to a rectangular shape. I actually want to vary the geometry of the picture. similar to the way the display can be changed on a monitor. changing the shape of the image from \ / to |  | without removing any of the picture.
 If your original answer addressed this process, I was unable to achieve the result using your instructions and I could not find a similar process described in a tutorial

Answer
Hi Don,
oh k, then here's the trick..
if the image is all in a single layer, then use the lasso tool to separate the trapezoidal image.
Now that you have it as a separate layer, use free transform tool (ctrl+t), then right click and select distort. now you can resize the handlers on all the sides one after another, the way you want until U get the desired result, when you are done just press the 'enter' button to apply the effect. (You can re do the same process again and again if you are not satisfied with the result)

feel free to let me know for difficulties if any.