I just found this little web-based tool today, rsizr. You use a simple interface in your browser to resize images horizontally, vertically, or both. If you have a set amount of space for an image and wish to trim some extraneous information from the picture without cropping it, this tool might be just for you. I think I like it because it might make me look thinner!

Here is an example of a before and after picture. I used a paint tool to paint over the top, right and left edges of the t-shirt and the text in the center so they would not be resized and therefore distort. (Notice some artifacts along the bottom right hem where I did not paint the image. Those may have been reduced or eliminated had I painted over them as well.) The internet-based program then intelligently reduced the space in the white area of the photograph as well as in the middle of the t-shirt without touching the center. The original photo is on the left, and the exact same image resized is on the right. The entire process took 2 minutes as I was learning how to use the program.

I'm not sure when I will ever use this, but at some point in the future I will be thinking, "Now, what was that web-based application that would resize a picture? I really need it for this project!"