Crop image as rectangle but ensure main part of image is in square

[Peter Weir]

Not really sure how to word this so hopefully it makes sense.

I have about 300 images of staff that I want to crop to a fixed aspect ratio that is a portrait rectangle. What I want to ensure however, is that the persons face fits in a square the same width.

So I thought the best way was to select the face using a square marquee tool. Then I wanted to somehow crop the image but adding to the top and bottom to make the image the correct aspect with the square face in the centre of the image.

The idea is that you can square of the image but still have the whole face in the image.

I need to be able to do this quickly as I have 300 to do. So it would be nice to just highlight the square around the face and then have an action to crop the image.

Can anyone help?

 

[MrToM]

I think I get what you mean...just to clarify your (proposed) workflow...

1: Open image.
2: Use 'Marquee Select' tool constrained to a square to select the area around the head....size and position infinitely variable.
3: Click the magic 'Do stuff for me' button which crops the image to a predefined aspect ratio based on the afore mentioned selection width.
4: Save the file?

I don't think this can be done via actions as it involves some calculation based on a selection but then again I'm not familiar with everything that actions are capable of.

One other thing....what PS version are you using?

I'll leave that with you.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[colleague]

what Mr Tom says works fine for this

if you use tranform selection and work with percentages you can make it into an action

 

[MrToM]

Nice one colleague!

Works beautifully....

OMG....I recorded an ACTION!

Nurse!

Many thanks.

Regards.
MrTom.