1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving input indicating a first displacement of a control from a first location of an image displayed on a display to a second location of the image, wherein the angle of the first displacement is non-zero with respect to horizontal and vertical axes of the display; receiving input indicating a second displacement of the control from said second location of the image to a third location of the image, wherein the second displacement is perpendicular to said first displacement; generating a rectangular selection area on the image such that two sides of the rectangular selection area are parallel to said first displacement and two other sides of the rectangular selection area are parallel to said second displacement; and performing an image editing function on the portion of the image selected by the rectangular selection area.