GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: 10
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

---

I've attached a photo. I wanted to remove the black coloring around the tree so all you see are the leaves and branches. My research indicates that technique is called cropping.

Is there an easy way for GIMP beginners (not experienced GIMP users or photographers to crop this photo so you don't see the black around the leaves and branches?

Thanks.

I'm not sure of what you're asking. Two possibilities: 1)You want to make the background transparent so all you see is limbs and leaves, or 2)you misunderstand cropping versus masking, due to a lack of having a black outline around the image to be removed.

Masking is a totally different process than cropping and there is no real EASY way to do it with an image with a color palette of thousands of different colored pixels. However, the alternative options are to select images with more solid backgrounds to make this process easier. I would start with gathering more information on masking, specifically GIMP masking.

Would it help to cartoonize the photo first and use that as a mask? I haven't got time right now to try it out.

If I import that jpg I shared with you into the vdieo editor it appears with large black spaces on either side of the plant itself. So, I'm wondering how GIMP might help to display just the plant and not the awkward black parts.

I'm not an experienced photographer so I don't have the vocabulary to accurately describe what the action verb is to accomplish a task. Like when you 1st learned word-processioning - who knew what a macro was?

Thanks.

"cartoonize the photo first" ... I have no idea what that is nor how it might be done in GIMP.

Thanks.

You're on a GIMP forum asking about how to do something in a video editor (what video editor?). This kind of information is helpful, beforehand, so we can address it correctly. In GIMP, I didn't see any black areas associated with the image, so I wasn't able to address what you were explaining. If the video editor isn't related to GIMP, it's highly likely no one will be able to help you without knowing all the extra information. Additionally, your constant use of the phrase "I'm on a deadline" seems to infer that you want results ASAP, and if that's the case, do not be alarmed if the post goes unanswered for hours. Many of us have jobs and support this forum due to our love of GIMP.

Given that the video is that aspect ratio (i.e it is wider than it is tall) but your picture is taller than it is wide, you don't have any option but to have something to fill in the gaps. In other words you will have to make your picture the same shape as the video.

What you put into the gaps is up to you. It seems to be popular these days to put a blurry copy of the picture in the gaps for phone videos that have been shot in portrait mode.



Kevin