Table of Contents
- What Is the Marquee Tool in Photoshop?
- The Different Variants of the Marquee Tool
- How to Use the Marquee Tool in Photoshop (Beginner’s Guide)
- Marquee Tool FAQ
- Outsource Your Real Estate Photo Editing to PhotoUp
Do you want to learn how to use the Marquee Tool in Photoshop?
Adobe Photoshop is a versatile tool widely used in various industries, and mastering its features can significantly boost your photo editing skills. Among its most fundamental functionalities is the Marquee Tool, a feature that allows you to select specific areas of an image for editing.
In this guide, we are walking you through the process of effectively using the Marquee Tool in Photoshop to edit your images. We’ll also cover what the Marquee Tools is, the variants of this tool, and when it’s good to use it.
Let’s get started!
What Is the Marquee Tool in Photoshop?
The Marquee Tool is a selection tool in Photoshop designed to select rectangles, ellipses, and single rows or columns of pixels.
In other words, you can experience unparalleled flexibility with this tool, boasting a variety of configurations, such as rectangular and elliptical forms, as well as single row and column layouts.
The Marquee Tool allows you to seize control of your image editing by isolating segments of your visual canvas; manipulating and refining these selected areas while maintaining the integrity of the surrounding elements.
It’s the go-to tool for creating straight-edged areas of selection within your image.
The Different Variants of the Marquee Tool
Now that you know what the Marquee Tool is, let’s take a look at the different variants of this tool in Photoshop:
- Rectangular Marquee Tool: For selecting square and rectangular areas
- Elliptical Marquee Tool: Perfect for circular and oval selections
- Single Row Marquee Tool: Selects a single row of pixels across the image
- Single Column Marquee Tool: Selects a single column of pixels from top to bottom
When Is It Good to Use the Marquee Tool?
The Marquee Tool is ideal for isolating parts of your image that have clear, defined lines and shapes.
For instance, if you need to select a window or door in a property photograph, the Marquee Tool can make the task a breeze.
How to Use the Marquee Tool in Photoshop (Beginner’s Guide)
With this in mind, let’s walk through how to make selections using the Marquee Tool in Photoshop.
You can either watch the video tutorial or read the text with the screenshots below:
Selecting the Marquee Tool
Step 1. In Photoshop, locate the Marquee Tool in the Tools palette. It’s the icon that looks like a dotted rectangle or ellipse.
Step 2. Right-click the Marquee Tool icon to show other Marquee Tool options. Choose between the Rectangular Marquee Tool or the Elliptical Marquee Tool.
Creating a New Selection
Step 3. With the Marquee Tool selected, look at the Options Bar at the top of the screen. Here you can set the mode to New Selection to create a new selection.
Step 4. You can also adjust the Feathering to soften the edges of your selection.
Step 5. And choose a Style (Normal, Fixed Ratio, or Fixed Size).
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Making Your Selection
Step 6. To make a Selection, click and drag on the canvas to create your selection. For a perfect square or circle, hold down the Shift key while dragging.
Modifying Your Selection
Step 7. You can also Modify your selection by Adding and Subtracting from your selection. To Add to your selection, hold down the Shift key and drag a new marquee.
Step 8. To Subtract from your selection, hold down the Alt key and drag over the part you want to remove.
Step 9. If you need to Move your selection, click inside the selected area and drag it to the desired location.
Step 10. You can also Reposition your selection by using the Spacebar while still holding down the Mouse button.
Making Adjustments to Your Selection
Step 11. Once you have your selection, you can cut, copy, fill with color, or apply adjustments and filters to just that area.
Step 12. To Deselect, either press Ctrl + D or Command + D on a Mac or click outside the selection.
Once you’ve completed your edits, remember to Save your work in Photoshop’s PSD format to maintain the quality and layers, or export it in the desired format for your project.
And that’s it! You’ve now learned how to use the Marquee Tool in Photoshop.
Marquee Tool FAQ
What does the Elliptical Marquee Tool do?
Within the realm of Photoshop, the Elliptical Marquee Tool is like a painter’s delicate brush—it lets you pinpoint areas with precise circular or elliptical boundaries.
Imagine effortlessly sketching a selection on your image canvas, merely by clicking and dragging to craft your desired elliptical shape.
For those instances where perfection is non-negotiable, employ the Shift key as your secret weapon to render a spot-on circle. If central symmetry is what you seek, then the Alt key will be your ally, emanating selection from your initial focal point.
When to use the Rectangular Marquee Tool?
Moving on to its sibling, the Rectangular Marquee Tool is akin to a carpenter’s square, instrumental in defining straight-edged, angular selections.
When you’re sculpting the contours of a selection with a mere click and a drag, you’ll realize simplicity is this tool’s forte.
And yes, for times when only equilateral speaks to your soul, the Shift key is there to perfect your squares. This tool doesn’t just cut it; it carves out its destiny in cropping, relocating segments, or fine-tuning areas with meticulous adjustments.
What does the Single Row Marquee Tool do?
When you’re working with images and you need to trim just a sliver—maybe no more than a mere pixel width—from the edge, the Single Row Marquee Tool is your go-to utility.
Sleek and precise, it lets you select a razor-thin area, equivalent to one pixel, and make adjustments with surgical accuracy.
Whether it’s for fine-tuning your graphic design work or perfecting that nearly complete photo edit, this tool offers a level of control that allows for immaculate modifications down to the smallest detail.
What’s the function of the Single Column Marquee Tool?
Photographers and designers understand that sometimes the difference between a good image and a great one lies in the details — a mere pixel can be pivotal.
The Single Column Marquee Tool is ideal for executing the most meticulous edits. This tool lets you slice off precisely the thinnest strip from the very edge of your image, one pixel in width, ensuring your final product is nothing short of perfect.
When activated, it hones in on the designated area with laser-like precision, enabling the removal or adjustment of any undesired elements with ease.
Whether you’re refining a border, aligning layers, or setting up for a complex edit, this tool is the epitome of accuracy at your fingertips.
What’s the difference between the Marquee vs Lasso Tool?
While both the Marquee and Lasso tools are sworn to the service of selection, their paths are as distinct as squares and squiggles.
The Marquee stands unyielded, shaping the world into rectangles and ellipses, while the Lasso tools dance to a different tune, swirl, and sway, allowing for the capture of the undomesticated shapes that roam the wilds of your image.
Lasso tools include the Lasso, Polygonal Lasso, and Magnetic Lasso, giving you more flexibility in selecting irregular shapes compared to Marquee tools.
What are the shortcuts for the Marquee Tool in Photoshop?
Photoshop’s Marquee tools are fast-track tickets to efficiency with keyboard shortcuts at your fingertips. Summon the Rectangular Marquee tool into action with a swift press of “M”.
Should you yearn for the Elliptical Marquee’s finesse, a secondary Shift press will bring it forth.
And for those who dance between geometric frames, alternating with a Shift-“M” combo can feel like a waltz through your selection styles.
What are the practical uses of the Marquee Tool in photo editing?
For the astute real estate photographer or the discerning artist behind the lens, the Marquee Tool is the magic wand in your arsenal.
It redefines landscapes and interiors, cropping them to fit the panorama of your imagination or slicing out sections for accentuated adjustments.
Whether isolating a subject to tell its story, constructing pellucid frames that command attention, or sculpting selections that harmonize the hues across your scene, this tool is your companion in precision, your ally in artistry.
Wrapping Up
The Marquee Tool is a powerful feature in Photoshop for photographers, especially when dealing with architectural or structured images like those in real estate photography.
With practice, it becomes an indispensable part of your editing process, helping to isolate and refine your edits with precision. Keep experimenting with the tool, and keep expanding your Photoshop expertise.
Remember, proficiency in Photoshop is all about practice and exploration. Use this guide as a stepping stone into the vast capabilities that Photoshop has to offer. Happy editing!
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Outsource Your Real Estate Photo Editing to PhotoUp
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We hope this blog post helped you learn how to use the Marquee Tool in Photoshop. Before you go, you may also want to check out the following resources:
