How Do You Get a Mirror Image of a Photo in Adobe?

You can create a mirror image of a photograph using several Adobe software programs. The method is fairly simple and involves a similar process whether you are using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign software. You need to know how to create a mirror image of a photo or any other artwork if you want to print it onto photo transfer paper and iron the image onto fabric, among with numerous other projects.

Things You'll Need

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe InDesign

Instructions

Using Adobe Illustrator

1. Open a new blank document in Adobe Illustrator. Open "My Documents," locate the icon for the photograph you want to use, then click and drag this icon into the blank document. The photo should appear on the page. It will have a narrow blue border around it and a blue X over it from corner to corner.

2. Click on the "Selection Tool" in the toolbar (the solid black arrow) and click on the photograph. (This is only necessary if you have clicked off the photo or selected another tool before reaching this step).

3. Click on "Object" in the top bar, then "Transform," then "Reflect." A box titled "Reflect" should appear in the window.

4. Click in the circle to the left of "Vertical" under the heading "Axis." Click in the box to the left of "Preview" to check the effect. The photo should become a mirror image of itself. Click on "OK."

Using Adobe Photoshop

1. Open Adobe Photoshop.

2. Open your photograph by clicking on "File," then "Open," then selecting the appropriate photograph from your documents. The photo should open.

3. Click on "Image" in the upper tool bar, hold the mouse over "Rotate Canvas," then click on "Flip Canvas Horizontal." The photo will flip around and become a mirror image of itself.

Using Adobe InDesign

1. Open a new blank document in Adobe InDesign. Open "My Documents" and find the icon for the photograph you want to use. Click on the icon and drag it into the blank document. The photo should open on the page.

2. Resize the photograph if necessary by clicking on "Object," then "Transform," then "Scale" and typing the percentage you wish to enlarge or reduce the size by in the box under the heading "Uniform." Click "OK." If your photo is already the correct size, skip this step.

3. Click on the "Selection Tool" icon in the toolbar. The icon is a solid black arrow. Click on the photograph. You will see a narrow blue border appear around the photograph with little boxes at the corners and in the center of each side.

4. Click on the little box in the center of the left hand side of the photograph. Hold down the mouse button and drag this little box across the page from left to right. Unclick the mouse and the photo will appear as a mirror image of itself.

5. Adjust the blue border to fit the photograph again by clicking and dragging one of the little boxes back to the edge of the photo. Move the photo back into the center of the document.

Tips & Warnings

• If you make a mistake at any time using any of the Adobe software programs, undo your step by holding down "Ctrl" and "Z" at the same time on your keyboard.

• If you don't have a digital version of the photo that you want to reverse, scan the photo into your computer, or take it to a print shop and ask the staff to scan the photo for you. You can then save the file on a data stick or email the file to yourself as an attachment.

References

• Photoshop 911: Flip to Mirror Image
• "InDesign CS2 in Easy Steps"; Robert Shufflebotham; 2006