Preparing for print

[Ernicus]

Not having a sucessful search. I'd like to read all there is to know on setting up for printing.

Anyone have a favorite link, either on this site or offsite?

My current issue....use 8x10 for example. I am finding myself having to cut off more of the image I want to for a print. I am certain I am doing something wrong or simply not using a correct tool when I crop. I would think with todays file sizes and dpi etc, that I could fit what I want in an 8x10 (relatively speaking naturally)

Seems that when I got to print it suggests a crop and leaves white bars on edges if I don't, which I don't like. Am I asking too much to be able to crop and print as I want?

 

[Kerbouchard]

Yes.

Your camera shoots at a 2x3 ratio. You want to print at a 4x5 ratio. In order to do so, you need to think about the crops when you are taking the shots, and either frame loose enough to be able to crop into what you want, or plan on printing at a different aspect ratio.

You can easily crop an 8x10 out of just about any current digital camera, but because you are changing the aspect ratio, there will be parts that you have to cut off. An alternative would be to just print at 8x12.

 

[Pookie]

It sounds like your problem is more like shooting too tight and not leaving enough room for cropping.

ETA: this link might help you understand a little better.
http://www.digital-slr-guide.com/aspect-ratio.html

 

[Ernicus]

Cool. thanks.

I have not been thinking of printing much, obviously. However when I wanted to print a shot to see what it would look like on paper...I started to run into this. No doubt it's how i have been shooting.

Thanks again, and time to get to reading.

 

[Ysarex]

Never let industry wide standards or standards adopted for convenience choose for you. Only you decide -- reject all other external conventions that push or pull you to a "standard" solution. (Caveat: none of the following matters if you're getting paid.)

Consider this hypothetical case: You finally get the chance of a lifetime; the trip you've always wanted to take; Prague and the old world capitals of eastern Europe, or Istanbul and the heart of the Ottoman Empire, or Bangkok and on to Ankor Wat, Nepal and the Himalayan tropics -- whatever, and you take your camera. Two weeks of photogenic paradise! How many exposures? How many SD cards later?

Six months and you finally whittle it down to 160 prime images (that's 2 slides trays for you old folks). You're ready -- music track carefully selected. You have family and friends over for an evening of grilled meat, booze and the most amazing photos of the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime trip. Forty photos in and the kids have wandered off. They're a little noisy, but turn up the music. Sixty photos in and the guys have started talking about sports over another beer. 90 photos in and the gals have poured another glass of wine and are yacking about what?!! They're bored! What did you do wrong?!! ARGH!!!!!!! That's easy. You took all the photos from the same place -- six countries and 8 major cities and you took every photo from 5' 10'' inches off the ground. You stood there and raised the camera to your eye, and you did it how many times?!!! Seriously?!! OMG!!!!

Every time you take a photo there are external subtle forces at work pushing and pulling you to some "standard" adopted for convenience, efficiency, ease of marketing or manufacturing standardization. All your photos are rectangles. Why? Because your viewfiender is a rectangle? Smack yourself!!! Either you take control or you relinquish control.

OK, prints: It's a simple matter to drop your image into a standard external "print size" like 8x10. Your image is really 7.75x9 -- create an 8x10 blank at the same res as your finished image and center your image on the blank -- print it. You'll have some paper waste on the edges. Better to have your photo your way than to kowtow to some external standard (see caveat above).

Joe