What is your normal cropping guidlines that you follow?

[Rudipides]

When you guys post process your photos in Lightroom, photoshop, etc. and you perform crops, do you always use the same crop ratio for export? i.e.) Say you shoot with a 3:2 ratio and during post-process you decide to crop for composition. Are you setting your crop ratio to 3:2 as well and do you ALWAYS use this same setting? I read a bunch of posts on here regarding print sizes, etc. but I was just curious if I should be cropping for one ratio every time. I hope im making myself clear.

Part of what has me questioning this is the fact that I know common print sizes are 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 but they are not the same ratio. So, should I crop all my photos at the 3:2 ratio and make my default print size options 4x6, 6x9, and 8x12 etc. and tell clients that other (non 3:2 ratio) print sizes will be cropped?


Thanks

 

[SnappingShark]

I never print, so I crop to whatever size suits what I want for my image.

However, I try to avoid square

oops - this is in a section of the forum I know nothing about - never be pro, so ignore my post

 

[The_Traveler]

Anything in portrait aspect ratio, I crop as much as possible to 4 x 5 because we are used to seeing that and because most pictures of people look better that way.
Pix in landscape mode, I try to stick to 2:3, again because we are used to seeing stuff that way.

 

[runnah]

What Lew said. I try to keep things to the normal print sizes.

A lot of my stuff ends up on websites so in that case there really is no standard. But in that case I am keeping the original ratio and just bringing the original into a new resized document.

 

[Rudipides]

So if I want to sell the same photo to a client in the 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10 sizes, should I initially crop for the 5:4 ratio and tell the client that if they want a 4x6 or any other size from the 3:2 ratio of sizes that the final prints will slightly cropped dirrently?

 

[gsgary]

I never print, so I crop to whatever size suits what I want for my image.

However, I try to avoid square

oops - this is in a section of the forum I know nothing about - never be pro, so ignore my post

Why are you taking photos if you never print

 

[KmH]

So if I want to sell the same photo to a client in the 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10 sizes, should I initially crop for the 5:4 ratio and tell the client that if they want a 4x6 or any other size from the 3:2 ratio of sizes that the final prints will slightly cropped dirrently?

A 4:5 (8x10) will not fill either a 2:3 (4x6) nor a 5:7 (5x7) sheet of photo paper.

The 4x6 will have a 4" x 5" photo with 0.5" blank borders on the sides.
The 5x7 will have a 5" x 6.25" photo with the remaining 0.75" as a blank border split evenly between the 2 sides.

FWIW - 4x6 is a portrait oriented photo. 6x4 is a landscape oriented photo.

I would supply 3 versions of the photo - 2 crops (5:4 and 7:5), and 1 not cropped (3:2).

 

[Rudipides]

So if I want to sell the same photo to a client in the 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10 sizes, should I initially crop for the 5:4 ratio and tell the client that if they want a 4x6 or any other size from the 3:2 ratio of sizes that the final prints will slightly cropped dirrently?

A 4:5 (8x10) will not fill either a 2:3 (4x6) nor a 5:7 (5x7) sheet of photo paper.

The 4x6 will have a 4" x 5" photo with 0.5" blank borders on the sides.
The 5x7 will have a 5" x 6.25" photo with the remaining 0.75" as a blank border split evenly between the 2 sides.

FWIW - 4x6 is a portrait oriented photo. 6x4 is a landscape oriented photo.

I would supply 3 versions of the photo - 2 crops (5:4 and 7:5), and 1 not cropped (3:2).

Thanks.

 

[KmH]

Did you grok the math?

 

[jsecordphoto]

I always do 3x2 or 2x1/3x1 for panos.

 

[manaheim]

Step 1. Identify the bits that don't support the photo.
Step 2. Remove them.

 

[HikinMike]

I crop what fits the scene, but use a standard ratio (1:1, 1:2, 2:3, or 4:5). I only offer (via my website) what I feel is best for the scene. If a customer sees one of my panoramic images (1:2) and wants it as a 2:3, they're out of luck.

 

[KmH]

I too crop for content but do not adhere to the standard aspect ratios.

I provide custom framing services to my clients, and/or a consultation service for helping the client select a way to display a print that is compatible with the decor in their home or office.

 

[Derrel]

It might seem old-fashioned, but I love an image that's about 6 x 9 inches, printed on 8.5 x 11 inch inkjet paper, with ample borders. Try it sometime. I think you might like the way images printed that way look. This, 6 x 9 inch image size keeps the same aspect ratio of the 35mm or digital frame of most cameras in APS-C or FX format, and looks good.

As far as 3:2, the normal d-slr ratio, or the 5:4 aspect ratio, my camera offers in-camera 5:4 aspect ratio capture, which is really handy when shooting headshot type portraits. Otherwise, a good deal of top space must be left, then cropped out in post.

There really is no one, single right answer about aspect ratios; it depends on what it was shot in, 3:2, or 5:5, or 4:3, or even 6x7 film or 6x6 medium-format rollfilm. Some scenes look GREAT in the native 3:2 aspect ratio that most d-slrs offer. I think on computer screens, the more squareish aspect ratio of the 4/3 format cameras is very nice, very easy to work with. The final aspect ratio also depends on the photographer, and how much cropping they think is needed. Some people insist on filling up the entire frame, and not cropping. Others shoot loose, with an eye toward "finding the right crop" later, in post. There is not just one answer, or even two answers.

 

[AlanKlein]

If I'm creating a slide show for the computer or to burn on a DVD to show on HDTV, let's say from a vacation or family get together, I always crop the same format for all pictures, usually 4:3, although any format will work. This makes the slide show consistent as one frame transitions into the next.

When I'm printing, I'll usually follow the format of the paper. The alternative is to crop to whatever you like. You can always frame and mat to whatever crop size you wind up with.