How to export different crop sizes in Photoshop?

Question

I would like to take a typical 2:3 ratio image in Photoshop CC and make a square 1:1 crop and an 8:10 crop. I want to save my crops non-destructively within the PSD file so I have access to my carefully-placed crops again in the future. I then want to export each cropped image to JPG. Problems:

• If I make one layer for each crop size, and crop non-destructively (without deleting cropped pixels), I can see each layer nicely in my desired crop size, but I cannot then export that layer properly because Photoshop wants to maintain ONE canvas size for all layers.
• If my original image ratio was 2:3 and I crop to 1:1, I see all the transparent pixels on the sides of my cropped square image filling up the canvas back to the 2:3 ratio. When I choose "File > Save As > JPG", it saves a 2:3 image with white space on the sides of my square image. There is no option during saving a JPG to eliminate the transparent pixels. I heard that the Export option might remove the transparent pixels but I cannot use Export because Adobe still limits exporting to 96 dpi.

So is there a way or workflow to export my Photoshop image in various crop sizes but do so non-destructively and keep my various crops? The only way I can think of is to make one PSD file per crop, but that's a lot of wasted hard drive space.

(My question is not the same as the "batch resize" post because that one creates an action to create/save different sizes and does not save any preferred crops within the original Photoshop file.)

Answer 1

As best as I can tell, it is not possible to save a variety of crops in your PSD file and export, without keeping one canvas size/ratio (which defeats the entire purpose of different ratios of the crops if some have hanging white space on the sides).

Answer 2

Sure it can be done. This method will keep all the crops in one PSD.

Set up your crops as layers

(OP knows how to do this, but included below for the sake of completeness.)

To do this:

• crop the image to the desired size (leaving “Delete cropped pixels” unchecked)
• with the base layer selected, select all (⌘ A), and new layer via copy (⌘ J)
• give the layer a descriptive name
• image menu > reveal all
• repeat

In the example below, layers are set to multiply to show some example crop sizes.

(Layers don't have to be centered, or touch edges, but cannot be rotated.)

Set up an action to save layers as JPG

This action makes life a little easier, but still requires being run once for every layer you want to save.

• With all layers visible and the bottom layer selected, begin recording an action
• Option click the eye of the selected layer. “Show current layer with toggle others” is added to the action.
• Image menu > Duplicate…
• Image menu > Trim…, “Based on Transparent Pixels”
• From the actions panel menu: Insert Menu Item… > Save a Copy…
• File > Close with “Saving: no.”
• ⌥ ] (Select forward layer)
• Option click the eye of the selected layer again.
• Stop recording the action.

Now when this action is run, it will prompt you to save the current layer cropped down to its size, then select the next layer, ready to be run again.