Cropping - For Looks or Ratio?

[Pugs]

Always crop for the best image but never dump the origional so you can always change your mind

This is where a non-destructive workflow (ie Lightroom) is fantastic.

Right-on!

 

[nickisonfire]

I rarely crop for the look, I try to compose in camera exactly how I want it. That being said I always crop portraits to 5x7. Not even if I'm going to be printing them I just feel it's the best aspect ratio for them

 

[djacobox372]

I crop for looks and matte for ratio.

 

[KmH]

I crop for looks and matte for ratio.

The next step is to crop for effect and custom mat.

 

[Torus34]

As I matte my own work, I crop to produce the best, that is to say, most compositionally satisfying, print.

 

[rufus5150]

For the last two months, any time I'm doing stuff strictly for me, I'm shooting such that I get what I want when I crop at 2.39 to 1. I don't know why but I'm hoping the fascination with the anamorphic ratio wanes at some point but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

Otherwise, clients get what clients ask for.

 

[lvcrtrs]

Depends on the final output or format.

If I want to print it as an 8x10, to fit a frame, then that's what I'll crop it to.
If it's just for web viewing, then I might crop it more freely (not to a specific ratio) but I usually stick to a standard ratio in case I want to print/frame it etc.

Of course, you can print any size/ratio...but it's just easier to use a standard size.

+1

 

[Pugs]

For the last two months, any time I'm doing stuff strictly for me, I'm shooting such that I get what I want when I crop at 2.39 to 1. I don't know why but I'm hoping the fascination with the anamorphic ratio wanes at some point but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

Otherwise, clients get what clients ask for.

Agreed! Unless what the client asks for looks like absolute crap... 'Cause sometimes they ask for things that just... boggle the mind... I don't want them pointing to a print they have hanging in their house and say, "Pugs did this for us!" and have it be junk...

 

[Foques]

I learned the hard way...

the shots I thought were pretty crappy (95% of my shots, in my opinion) were attempted to be printed.. Didn't work too well.
That said, I started cropping images to 8x10 (or 10x8).