Images and layers can be rotated and positioned precisely on top of each other by straightening them. Straighten is mainly used with sets of films which are scanned and fitted together exactly.
In the method below several films are scanned, straightened and then combined into one file.
- Scan each film as an 8 bit layer. The top left, top right and bottom left external registration points on the film must be included in the scan area, as they are used to straighten the film.
Tip: When scanning the film in, keep the same area active in the preview window in the scanning software, so that each film scans in at the same size. This will help when merging the scans into one file. It may be necessary to place a white piece of paper on top of the film when scanning to create more contrast.
- Open the scans into AVA.
- Make sure the layers are active in the Layers Palette.
- In the first scan, using a mouse, position your cursor over the top left registration point. There is no need to click down, as long as the cursor is positioned over the correct point.
Note: The best tool to have active when doing this is the Rectangular Selection Tool, as it displays a cross hair, which is easy to align to the registration marks in the scans.
- Press the keyboard shortcut ⌘ 1. This will set the top left point of the scan.
- Hover your cursor over the top right registration point and press the keyboard shortcut ⌘ 2.
- Hover your cursor over the bottom left registration point and press the keyboard shortcut ⌘ 3.
When each registration point is set, the computer will beep (if your volume is turned up!)
- Measure the width and height between the registration points using the Measure Tool and the Info Window (or measure the real films).
- Go to Edit Menu > Straighten > Straighten. You will see that the coordinates of each registration point are already entered in the boxes.
- Enter the width and height measurements and keep the Top and Left boxes at zero, then click OK. The layer will now be rotated and aligned to the top left registration point.
- Enter the width and height measurements and keep the Top and Left boxes at zero, then click OK. The layer will now be rotated and aligned to the top left registration point. There is no need to measure between the registration points for the second or subsequent layers, just keep the width and height measurements the same as for the first layer.
The layers can now be merged together into one file in one simple step. To learn how to do that, click here.