In Adobe InDesign, you can crop a photo by resizing its containing frame using the corner and side controls, which adjusts the visible portion of the image.
Understanding Cropping in InDesign
When you place an image in InDesign, it sits inside a frame. You can think of this frame as a window showing only a part of the larger image behind it. Cropping in InDesign typically involves changing the size or shape of this frame to reveal or hide different parts of the image.
The Primary Method (According to Reference)
Based on the provided information, the core way to "crop" your image is by manipulating the size of its frame:
- Change the size of it with the corner + side controls.
This action effectively crops the photo because it will "adjust what part of the photo is showing inside the frame".
Steps to Crop Using Frame Controls:
- Select the image frame (usually with the Selection Tool, the black arrow).
- Click and drag the handles located on the corners or sides of the selected frame.
- As you resize the frame, the image within the frame remains the same size, but less or more of it becomes visible, thus cropping the image.
Note: Holding Shift while dragging a corner control resizes the frame proportionally, maintaining its aspect ratio while still cropping the image.
Cropping vs. Fitting
The reference also highlights a related but opposite concept:
- If you have a cropped photo that you want to fit fully inside your frame, you can use the Fitting tools.
This refers to InDesign features (like "Fit Content Proportionally" or "Fill Frame Proportionally") that change the size or position of the image within the frame, rather than changing the frame size itself. This is used when you want the entire image visible, potentially adjusting its scale or position inside the frame you already have.
