"PT" <xyz@xyz.com> wrote in message
news:%23rfbHlqIJHA.456@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>I have two monitors: one is a 4:3 on a desktop and the other a 16:9 laptop
>monitor.
>
> I want to use a .JPG file from a 4" x 6" digital camera photo as the
> desktop background on the laptop. But when I set it up by right clicking
> on the desktop, selecting properties, and browsing to the appropriate .jpg
> photo file, the resulting image is stretched out, distorting the photo in
> a manner similar to what appears on sports bar HDTV sets.
>
> I assume there's a way to retain the correct aspect ratio, leaving a pair
> of "black" bars at the left and right ends of the photo.
>
> How to do it?
>
> --
>
> PT
>

In Display Properties, Desktop tab, have you got it set to "Stretch" under
"Position"? Play around with the settings there, clicking Apply each time to
check how it looks.

As sgopus said, this is too small a picture to look good at the same height
or width as your monitors. And if it's not of the same *proportions* as the
monitor you want it on (which it isn't - 6:4 <> 4:3 <> 16:9) then it will
look wrong when stretched in both directions to fit. Especially if the
orientation of the shot is portrait.... :-)

I'm curious, though: what do you mean by a 6" x 4" digital camera photo -
where do you get that information from? If you installed IrfanView as
suggested, open the picture in it and press"i"; what does it say next to
"print size"? Or, do you perhaps mean a *scan* of a 6x4 print? If so, try
scanning it in at a higher resolution to get something more acceptable when
resized for a desktop wallpaper.