**Program Tutorials** : Photoshop Elements : *Program Basic

PSE 3 has a great new function called Cookie Cutter that makes cropping photos into shapes really easy. This tutorial will cover the basics of using the Cookie Cutter tool.

1. Start with a photo already placed in a layout on its own layer.
   
2. With the photo layer active, open the Cookie Cutter tool.
   
3. Click the down arrow next to the shape preview and select the shape to use for cropping.
   
4. Click the down arrow next to Shape Options to force the shape to stay in its original proportions, original size or a fixed sized.
   
5. Draw the shape on top of the photo.
   
6. A preview of the cropped photo will show and at this point you can adjust the size, angle or location of the cropped portion.
   
7. Click the checkmark to finalize the cropping.