Cropping Ratios

hark

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Yesterday I took a few photos after church of a family who had a baby baptized. I've never really given much thought to cropping, but what ratios and/or sizes do you use for different types of photos? I will give them a disc of the images--only took 4 photos.

These will be the extended family as a group as well as just the parents with the baby. 8x10? 5x7?

And in general, what sizes are preferred for cropping when it comes to individual portraits, groups of people, landscapes, and other subjects? I know sometimes it depends upon what size prints will be made, but if I'm not giving them prints, what crop ratios generally work best?
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
I think, if they're not going to be printed, then the next question becomes, How are they going to be viewed? Answer that question Cindy, and then from there, the crop/aspect ratio/resolutions are going to become fairly easier to determine...
 

hark

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I think, if they're not going to be printed, then the next question becomes, How are they going to be viewed? Answer that question Cindy, and then from there, the crop/aspect ratio/resolutions are going to become fairly easier to determine...

And it isn't a question I can answer. I offered to take some photos after the service, and they were THRILLED! No doubt they will be happy with anything. I used the 5x7 ratio for a couple and the 8x10 ratio for the third. Decided not to give them the 4th photo as one person wasn't quite ready.

For anyone--in general though, I do wonder how images are saved. Is it better to crop an image to a set size or retain the original then crop if a print is needed?
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
And it isn't a question I can answer. I offered to take some photos after the service, and they were THRILLED! No doubt they will be happy with anything. I used the 5x7 ratio for a couple and the 8x10 ratio for the third. Decided not to give them the 4th photo as one person wasn't quite ready.

For anyone--in general though, I do wonder how images are saved. Is it better to crop an image to a set size or retain the original then crop if a print is needed?
Cropping to a specific ratio only comes into play for me if I know for a fact the image is going to be printed, otherwise I just crop the image however I think it needs to be cropped in order to look its best aesthetically-speaking.

If I'm going to print then I need to figure out if I want to be able to get a matte/frame "off the rack" (less expensive by far) or if I'm willing to pay for a custom matte (gets expensive fast) or cut one myself. The matte window can be cut to whatever odd-ball dimensions I need of course and the matte's outer dimensions are standard, typically (unless I want a custom frame cut as well (which is UBER expensive). So, if you want the ease and convenience of an off-the-rack mounting solution you're far better off cropping to one of the common ratios (e.g. 5x7, 8x10, etc.) And while frame shops seem to be getting better at carrying a selection of mattes that are digital-photo friendly, ratio-wise, I always wind up finding the "wrong" matte in the right size, if you know what I mean.

Lastly, I *always* keep a full-size (uncropped) original of the digital image.
 
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Fred Kingston

Senior Member
Using LR... I do what Paul does... Cropping is more a function of aesthetics than anything else. It simply adjusts the image to draw focus or attention to what the photographer wants the image to say...

The beauty of non-destructive editing is, it allows you to keep the original image, and resize the aspect angles, and other dimensions for specific print or media output...
 

nickt

Senior Member
I've given family and friends different crop versions and made 4x6, 5x7 or 8x10 part of the file name and tell them to use the right one if they make prints. It saves having to see my pictures hanging on their walls with a crop I don't like.
 

RON_RIP

Senior Member
Since all of my photos are edited with the idea that they will someday be printed, matted [maybe], and framed I crop for the most pleasing ratio and then will print accordingly. Printing,matting and framing are very expensive, so I have learned how to do it all to save what I can. If it was easy, anyone could do it. Ultimately, only my best photos end up in a frame, but for the ones i like, I spare no expense.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
What aspect shape to crop is of course much like the question "How long should a rope be?" Answer of course is, it depends.

If printing is not intended, then it should be cropped to improve the image content, to provide the image that appeals the most. Cropping improves most images, often about removing distractions, or just better framing.

Otherwise, if a fixed ratio is desired, but printing might happen some day without redos, then IMO, 5x7 shape offers a good compromise between the tall and skinny 4x6 and the shorter and wider 8x10. But not correct for either of course.

If you are going to print, then it becomes clear that it needs to match the paper shape. If you might ignore this, the paper will not ignore it (but our own cropping choice is a good and wise better thing).

But the shapes of print paper all vary, no one size fits all.

I have a couple of calculators that address this, educationally perhaps, primarily intended to spread the word that aspect ratio matters greatly for printing. Otherwise people complain that the print services cut of the tops of heads, etc.

Image Resize - Cropping, Resampling, Scaling in general,

Resolution DPI calculator for printing digital images from scanner or digital camera more about giving clues about printing a specific image.
 
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