Cropping removes part of an image, while stretching changes its proportions. Keeping those operations separate helps faces, products, and familiar shapes remain believable.
Set the destination shape
Choose the aspect ratio needed for your layout, then position the crop around the important subject. Lock the image's proportions when resizing it. A circle turning into an oval is a quick warning that the source has been stretched.
Check what disappears
Review hands, tools, labels, and contextual details near the edges. A tighter crop may improve recognition while removing the information that explains what is happening. Try more than one position before committing.
Export a new copy
Preserve the original image and save the crop with a distinct name. Inspect the final result at the actual display size, especially if you enlarged a small portion of the source. If the crop no longer contains enough detail, use a better original or redesign the layout instead of stretching the file to fill space.