Marlow Camera Club

The Expert mode is necessary as it unlocks necessary layout tools.

Activating advanced tools:

Launch Photoshop Elements and click the Photo Editor button from the home screen. Once the editor opens, locate three mode buttons at the top: Quick, Guided, and Expert. Click Expert to access the full toolset including layers, rulers, and manual positioning controls—simplified modes lack the precision needed for triptychs.

Canvas initialization:

1. Navigate to File > New > Blank File.
2. In the New dialog box, name your project descriptively
3. Set Width to 1400 and Height to 1050 (confirming the unit dropdown shows pixels),
4. Enter 300 for Resolution (maintaining pixels/inch unit),
5. Select RGB Color mode
6. Choose White for Background Contents—we’ll change this to black momentarily.

Black background conversion:

Elements makes background filling straightforward.

1. Select the Paint Bucket Tool from the left toolbar (looks like a tilted bucket).
2. Before using it, set your foreground colour to black by clicking the top-left coloured square in the toolbar’s bottom area—when the Color Picker opens, either drag the circular selector to the bottom-left corner or type #000000 in the hexadecimal field.
3. Click anywhere on your white canvas with the Paint Bucket active to flood-fill it with black.

Photo integration method:

Elements uses a copy-paste workflow.

1. Open your first photo via File > Open,
2. Select the entire image with Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) producing “marching ants” around edges, c
3. Copy with Ctrl+C or Command+C,
4. Switch back to your triptych canvas by clicking its thumbnail in the Photo Bin at the screen bottom
5. Paste the image as a new layer using Ctrl+V or Command+V.
6. The photo appears centered on the black canvas as a separate layer.

Repeat this sequence for your second and third photographs and your Layers panel should now display four layers: three photos plus the black Background.

Sizing and positioning

1. Enable rulers via View > Rulers or Ctrl+R / Command+R, ensuring they display pixels (right-click a ruler and select Pixels if showing inches).
2. Select the Move Tool (top of toolbar, four-way arrow, or press V).
3. Click Layer 1 in the Layers panel to make it active.
4. Go to Image > Resize, crucially uncheck “Resize all layers” to affect only the current layer, and set dimensions to approximately 426 pixels wide(calculated as (1400 – 40) ÷ 3). If “Lock aspect ratio” is checked, set height to 1010 pixels and let width auto-adjust proportionally to avoid distortion.
5. Click the green checkmark when satisfied.
6. Drag the resized image to the left side, leaving 20 pixels from the edge.

Repeat this resize-and-position process for Layers 2 and 3, maintaining 20-pixel gaps between each image.

Border application technique:

1. Select your first photo layer in the Layers panel.
2. Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command(Mac) and click directly on the layer’s thumbnail picture (not the name)—this creates a selection precisely matching the photo’s shape.
3. Go to Edit > Stroke (Outline) Selection. Set Width to 2 pixels, click the Color box to select white from the Color Picker, choose Inside for Location (this prevents the border from extending beyond carefully positioned edges), and click OK.
4. Remove the selection with Select > Deselect or Ctrl+D / Command+D.

Apply identical strokes to your remaining two image layers.

Dual-format saving strategy:

1. Preserve editability by first saving a master version: File > Save As, select Photoshop (*.PSD) format, and store it safely. This layered file allows future modifications.
2. For your shareable JPEG, go to File > Save As again, select JPEG from the format dropdown, choose your save location, and click Save.
3. The JPEG Options dialog appears—set quality to 10-12 on the 1-12 scale (or 80-90 if showing percentages) for high quality, choose “Baseline (Standard)” for compatibility, and click OK.

Establishing your workspace:

1. Click File > New and set document units to Pixels in the Layout tab.
2. Enter 1400 for page width and 1050 for page height.
3. Set DPI to 300 for versatile print/screen use.
4. Select RGB/8 color format for standard photography work, and choose sRGB IEC61966-2.1 color profile to ensure consistent colour display across devices.
5. Create a custom preset by clicking the plus icon before finalizing—name it “Triptych 1400×1050” for instant reuse in future projects.

Black background implementation:

1. Select the Flood Fill Tool (paint bucket icon) from the left Tools panel.
2. In the Color Panel on the right, navigate to the Greyscale tab and move the slider completely left to 0% for pure black, or manually set all RGB values to zero in the RGB tab.
3. Click anywhere on your white canvas with the Flood Fill Tool active to instantly transform the entire background to black.

Image placement and arrangement:

1. Use File > Place to import each of your three photographs.
2. A file browser opens—select your first image and click Open.
3. Your cursor becomes a crosshair with a small preview. Click-drag diagonally to place the image, though precise sizing comes next.
4. Repeat this placement process for images two and three.
5. Each placed image becomes a separate layer visible in the Layers Panel on the right side.

Mathematical precision for spacing

1. Enable snapping by clicking the magnet icon in the top toolbar—this helps images align cleanly.
2. With the Move Tool selected (press V), select each image layer and resize by dragging corner handles.
3. For 1400 pixels width with 20-pixel spacing: (1400 – 40) ÷ 3 = approximately 453 pixels per image.
4. Affinity Photo automatically maintains proportions when resizing from corners.
5. Position the left image flush with the canvas edge, the center image 20 pixels from the left image’s right edge, and the right image 20 pixels from the center with 20 pixels remaining at the canvas right edge. Use arrow keys for single-pixel nudges to achieve perfection.

Layer effects for borders:

1. Select the first image layer in the Layers Panel and click the FX icon (stylised “fx” in a circle) at the panel’s bottom.
2. In the Layer Effects panel that opens, check Outline from the left list. Set Radius to 2-3 pixels for border thickness, Alignment to Inside (crucial for keeping borders within image boundaries), Fill Style to Solid Colour, and click the colour swatch to choose white.
3. This non-destructive approach means borders remain editable. Apply identical settings to your second and third image layers.

Export workflow:

Affinity Photo distinguishes between saving editable projects and exporting finished images.

Before exporting, save your work via File > Save As in .afphoto format to preserve all layers.

For JPEG export, use File > Export (not Save)—this critical distinction trips up many new users. Select JPEG format, set quality to 90-95% for the sweet spot between file size and visual quality, confirm dimensions show 1400 x 1050, and ensure color space displays sRGB. The Export function flattens all layers automatically while your original layered file remains intact.

Apple Photos cannot create triptychs natively

The older iPhoto application offered basic collage templates, but Photos removed this functionality entirely. Apple Pages provides the workaround solution, offering precise layout control using free macOS software.

Exporting photos for external use:

Open Photos and select your three desired images by clicking each while holding Command.

1. Navigate to File > Export > Export 3 Photos,
2. Set Photo Kind to JPEG, Quality to Maximum, and Size to Full Size.
3. Export the files to an easily accessible location like your Desktop or a dedicated Triptych Project folder—this creates standalone files that Pages can access, since Photos keeps images locked within its protected library structure.

Pages document foundation:

1. Launch Pages (via Applications folder or Spotlight: Command-Space, type “Pages”).
2. Select the Blank template from the Basic category and click Create.
3. Immediately convert to page layout mode via File > Convert to Page Layout—this critical step removes text flow constraints and enables pixel-perfect element positioning anywhere on the canvas.

Custom dimension setup:

1. Click File > Page Setup, then the Paper Size dropdown.
2. Select Manage Custom Sizes and click the + button to create a new size.
3. Name it “Triptych Canvas” and enter dimensions of Width: 4.861 inches and Height: 3.646 inches (these equal 1400×1050 pixels at 288 DPI, the standard for retina displays).
4. Set all margins to 0 (zero) for edge-to-edge design capability.

This is necessary because Pages operates in physical units rather than pixels.

Black background application:

1. Click anywhere on the blank canvas (not on objects),
2. Ensure the Format sidebar is visible (if not, click Format in the top-right toolbar),
3. Locate the Background section, select Colour Fill from the dropdown, and click the colour swatch.
4. In the colour picker, drag the brightness slider completely down or set all RGB values to zero for pure black.

Calculated image placement:

1. For three equal images with 20-pixel spacing, each image should be 1.574 inches wide × 3.646 inches tall (converting 453×1050 pixels to inches at 288 DPI).
2. The spacing between images is 0.069 inches(20 pixels converted).
3. Click the Shape button in the toolbar, select Rectangle, and in the Format sidebar’s Arrange tab, set Width to 1.574 and Height to 3.646.
4. Position this first shape at X: 0, Y: 0 (top-left).
5. Copy-paste this rectangle twice, positioning the second at X: 1.643 (1.574 + 0.069) and the third at X: 3.286 (accounting for two image widths plus two gaps).

Image insertion via drag and drop

Use macOS split screen (Option-click green window button) to display Finder with your exported photos alongside Pages.

For each rectangle, select it in Pages, go to Format sidebar > Style tab, set Fill to No Fill and Border to Line with width 1-2 points in white (creating your keyline border).

Drag each photo from Finder directly into its corresponding rectangle in Pages—the image fills the shape automatically.

Double-click any image to enter mask editing mode, allowing you to reposition or zoom the photo within its frame without changing the frame size.

JPEG export via Preview

Pages doesn’t offer direct JPEG export, requiring a two-step process.

1. Click File > Print, then click the PDF dropdown in the bottom-left corner and select Open PDF in Preview.  The triptych opens in Preview automatically.
2. From Preview, click File > Export, set Format to JPEG, Resolution to 300 pixels/inch for high quality, drag the Quality slider to maximum, and save.

This print-to-PDF-to-JPEG workflow produces sharper results than Pages’ direct image export for photographic content.

Canvas initialization:

1. Launch PaintShop Pro and press Ctrl+N or go to File > New.
2. In the New Image dialog, set Width to 1400 and Height to 1050 with Units set to Pixels.
3. Leave Resolution at default (72).
4. Select Raster Background for photo collage work and RGB – 8 bits/channel for standard colour depth.
5. Click the Color box to open the color picker, select black (RGB values 0,0,0 or hex #000000), and click OK to create your canvas.

Alternative background filling

If you created a white canvas, select the Flood Fill Tool (paint bucket icon) from the Tools toolbar. In the Materials palette (right side), click the Foreground color box and select black. Click anywhere on your canvas to fill it completely with black—this approach is simpler than recreating the entire canvas.

Multi-image import process

1. Use File > Open (Ctrl+O) to browse for your first photo.
2. When it opens in its own window, select all with Ctrl+A and copy with Ctrl+C.
3. Click back to your main triptych canvas tab, then paste as a new layer using Edit > Paste As New Layer (Ctrl+L).
4. The photo appears on the canvas as a separate layer visible in the Layers palette (press F8 if not visible).
5. Repeat this open-copy-paste sequence for your second and third photographs, creating distinct layers for each.

Individual layer resizing:

1. In the Layers palette, click the layer you want to resize. Go to Image > Resize (Shift+S) and critically uncheck “Resize all layers”—failing this step resizes everything simultaneously.
2. For three images with spacing: (1400 – 40) ÷ 3 = approximately 453 pixels width. Set height to 1010 pixels with “Lock aspect ratio” checked to maintain proportions (resulting width may vary slightly—this is acceptable). Select Bicubic resample method for quality.
3. Repeat for each of the three image layers individually.

Positioning with the Pick Tool

1. Select the Pick Tool (top of toolbar, arrow with cross, or press K).
2. In the Layers palette, click the layer to position.
3. Click-drag the image to move it – place the first image on the left with 20 pixels from the edge, the second in the centre with 20-pixel gaps on both sides, and the third on the right. Use keyboard arrow keys for single-pixel precision adjustments. The View > Grid option provides visual guidance for alignment.

Border creation workflow

PaintShop Pro’s individual image borders require a fairly complex multi-step approach.

1. Select the Magic Wand tool, click on your first photo to select it (producing “marching ants”)
2. Go to Selections > Modify > Expand and enter 2-3 pixels.
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+I to invert the selection.
4. Create a new layer via Layers > New Raster Layer, set your foreground colour to white in the Materials palette, and fill the selection with Edit > Fill (Shift+F) choosing Foreground colour.
5. Deselect with Ctrl+Shift+D. This creates a border layer.
6. Repeat for each image—while complex for beginners, it provides ultimate control.

Dual-format preservation

1. Save your layered master first: File > Save As, select PaintShop Pro Image (*.pspimage) format, name it “Triptych_Master,” and save for future editability.
2. For JPEG export, use File > Save As again, select JPEG format, choose your location, and click Save. In the JPEG Save Options dialog, set compression factor to 10-20 (lower numbers mean higher quality—counterintuitive but accurate), select Standard encoding, and click OK. Confirm “Yes” when asked about flattening layers—JPEG format requires merging all layers into one flat image.

Project initialisation:

1. Launch GIMP and press Ctrl+N (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+N (Mac), or go to File > New. The Create a New Image dialog appears.
2. In the Image Size section, enter 1400 for Width and 1050 for Height, verifying the unit dropdown shows px (pixels). Before clicking OK, ensure your foreground colour in the Toolbox (lower left, top coloured square) is black—if not, click it to open the colour picker, drag the slider left to pure black, and confirm.
3. Still in the Create a New Image dialog, scroll to the Fill with section.
4. Click the dropdown (probably showing “White”) and select Foreground colour—since you set foreground to black in the previous step, your canvas will fill with black upon creation.
5. Click OK to generate your canvas.

Batch image import:

1. Go to File > Open as Layers rather than regular Open—this distinction is crucial.
2. In the file browser, click your first image, then hold Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or Cmd (Mac) and click your second and third images to select all three simultaneously.
3. Click Open to import all three as separate layers stacked on your black background.
4. The Layers panel (right side, or Windows > Dockable Dialogs > Layers if hidden) displays all four layers: three photos plus black background.

Proportional resizing:

1. Click the first image layer in the Layers panel to select it.
2. Press Shift+S or select the Scale Tool from the Toolbox.
3. Click anywhere on the image to open the Scale Layer dialog.
4. The chain icon between Width and Height controls proportional scaling—keep it linked (closed) to maintain aspect ratio.
5. For triptych sizing: (1400 – 40 borders – 40 spacing) ÷ 3 = approximately 453 pixels wide by 700-1000 pixels tall. Enter dimensions and click Scale to confirm.
6. Repeat for each of the three image layers.

Layer positioning controls:

1. Select the Move Tool (press M or click the cross-with-arrows icon).
2. Ensure the correct layer is selected in the Layers panel, then click-drag the image on the canvas to position it.
3. Place the first image on the left with approximately 25 pixels black border from the edge, the second in the center with 20-pixel gaps on both sides, and the third on the right with consistent spacing.
4. Use keyboard arrow keys for single-pixel precision—this tactile control proves essential for achieving professional alignment.

Stroke selection for borders:

1. In the Layers panel, click your first image layer.
2. Go to Select > All (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A) to select the entire layer—”marching ants” appear around edges.
3. Navigate to Edit > Stroke Selection to open the stroke dialog.
4. Set Line width to 2-3 pixels for subtle borders, ensure Stroke line is selected, click the Color box to choose white or your preferred border color, and click Stroke to apply.
5. The stroke centers on the selection edge, meaning half appears inside your image and half outside—for a border completely outside the image, use Select > Shrink by half your desired width before stroking.
6. Complete the border by going to Select > None (Shift+Ctrl+A / Shift+Cmd+A).
7. Repeat this entire sequence for your second and third image layers, maintaining identical settings.

Flatten and export procedure:

1. Before flattening, consider saving a layered version via File > Save As in GIMP’s native .XCF format to preserve editing capability.
2. When ready for final export, go to Image > Flatten Image to merge all layers into one.
3. For JPEG export, use File > Export As (Shift+Ctrl+E / Shift+Cmd+E)—never use “Save” which only creates .XCF files.
4. Type your filename ending in .jpg or .jpeg to set the format, choose your destination, and click Export.
5. The JPEG export dialog appears with a Quality slider—set to 90-95 for optimal balance between quality and file size, or 95-100 for archival/print purposes. Check “Show preview in image window” to see compression effects in real-time. Confirm Optimize and Progressive are checked, then click Export to finalize.

Canva’s 2024-2025 web interface revolutionizes triptych creation for non-technical users, requiring zero software installation while delivering professional results. The browser-based platform’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it the most accessible option for beginners, though advanced users may find layer controls less sophisticated than desktop alternatives.

This workflow should be compatible with the Free level of Canva

Custom dimension setup:

1. Log into Canva at www.canva.com and click the purple Create a design button in the top-right corner.
2. In the dropdown menu, select Custom size (marked with a resize icon). In the popup that appears, enter 1400 for width and 1050 for height, ensuring the unit dropdown displays px (pixels)—change from “in” or “cm” if necessary.
3. Click Create new design to open your custom canvas in the Canva editor.

Background colour:

Your new canvas opens with a white background.

1. Click anywhere on the white area (avoiding any elements) to select the entire canvas.
2. In the toolbar directly above your design, locate the Background colour square (shows white initially).
3. Click this square to open the colour palette panel on the left. At the top of this panel, color swatches display common colours—click the black tile (usually top row) to instantly change your canvas to black.
4. Alternatively, use the hex code method: find the field showing “#FFFFFF” and type #000000 for pure black.

Photo upload methods:

1. On the left sidebar, click Uploads (upward arrow icon) to expand the uploads panel.
2. Click the purple Upload files button and browse to your photos—select all three by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) while clicking, then click Open to upload simultaneously.
3. Alternatively, drag image files directly from your computer’s file browser into the Canva editor window.
4. Uploaded images appear in the Uploads panel as thumbnails, ready for placement.

Image placement and sizing:

1. From the Uploads panel, click-drag your first image onto the black canvas and release to drop it.
2. Repeat for your second and third images.
3. Don’t worry about positioning yet—just get all three on the canvas.
4. To resize, click an image to select it (white corner handles appear).
5. For precise dimensions matching the triptych requirements, unlock the aspect ratio by clicking the lock icon in the top toolbar, then type 453 for width and 1050 for height in the dimension fields. Press Enter to apply.
6. Repeat this exact sizing for all three images to ensure consistency.

Mathematical spacing:

1. For 1400 pixels with 20-pixel gaps: (1400 – 40) ÷ 3 = 453 pixels per image.
2. Position your first image flush with the canvas left edge (X position = 0).
3. The second image should start at 473 pixelsfrom the left (453 + 20 spacing).
4. The third image starts at 946 pixels from the left (453 + 20 + 453 + 20).
5. Canva displays blue and pink guide lines as you drag elements—these “smart guides” appear when objects are evenly spaced or aligned, providing visual confirmation of proper positioning.
6. For easier spacing, select all three images (click first, hold Shift, click others), click Position in the top toolbar, and choose Tidy up for automatic distribution—then fine-tune with arrow keys.

Border application options:

1. Click your first image to select it.
2. In the toolbar above the canvas, find and click the Border style icon (square with thick outline, possibly under the three-dot menu).
3. A panel opens with border options: set Weight to 2-3 for subtle elegance or 5-10 for bold impact, click the Color tile and select white for classic contrast against black, and leave corner rounding at 0 for sharp edges.
4. The border applies instantly.

Repeat this process for your second and third images, using identical settings for visual consistency.

JPEG export workflow:

1. Click the Share button in the top-right corner (may show an upward arrow icon).
2. In the dropdown menu, select Download.
3. The download options panel appears—click the File type dropdown and select JPG(identical to JPEG).
4. Keep “Current page” selected unless working with multi-page documents.
5. If quality settings appear, drag the slider to maximum for best results.
6. Click the purple Download button at the panel’s bottom.
7. Canva processes your file and automatically downloads it to your computer’s Downloads folder.
8. To rename before downloading, click the design name at the very top of the editor and type a new name like “My-Triptych-2024″—this becomes the downloaded filename.