When you crop a photo...

[KmH]

For my photos I crop solely for content and completely disregard the aspect ratio. I just have my lab make me a custom print.

How to order custom size prints
Our printers will only print to the aspect ratio of our standard print sizes. You will need to crop your image to our standard sizes before uploading to ensure the correct cropping is done. If you have images that are not sized to our standard print sizes, you will need to place them on a canvas in Adobe Photoshop to get the desired size. Example: a 14x30 image would be placed on a 20x30 canvas (white border) in Photoshop to get the custom print size. Please use the text tool in Photoshop and write in the white border "please trim print" to alert our technicians to trim the image for you. Trimming is only available on print sizes 12x18 and larger.

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

Are dimensions important? Do you crop with a specific dimension in mind in case you want to print?

When I crop... I use a ratio...1:1, 2:3, 1:3, or whatever works for the result I want.

Also, I only use cropping to make adjustments to the composition or cut out specific things I may not have noticed through my viewfinder.

 

[The_Traveler]

There are a couple of really good reasons to crop to standard formats.

First, a print will be much less expensive to mat and frame in standard format.
Second, the further the image is from a standard format that people are used to seeing the more likely that viewers will notice the shape of the image and incorporate that into their impression of the content.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Well if you are focused on popular print dimensions, they all actually have an aspect ratio.

Magazines, brochures, etc, indeed have an aspect ratio. However, the images printed inside them do not always fill the pages and are often cropped in weird dimensions. Some will be long, some will be tall, some will be squared and others will be rounded. All depending on the vision of the graphic designer.

So you would happily print this on an 8x10?:

Not quite what I'm talking about but, in reality, in this case, unless you are printing on a roll printer, you will print this image on a standard size paper which will then be cut down to fit your custom cut mat

There are a couple of really good reasons to crop to standard formats.

First, a print will be much less expensive to mat and frame in standard format.
Second, the further the image is from a standard format that people are used to seeing the more likely that viewers will notice the shape of the image and incorporate that into their impression of the content.

Since I cut my own mats and do my own frames, non-standard sizes do not cost anymore. Plus, I believe most pre-cut mats found in regaular stores such as Michael's are not conservation mats so I wouldn't use them anyway

As for the part I bolded, sounds to me like it could be a plus.

 

[GeorgieGirl]

For my photos I crop solely for content and completely disregard the aspect ratio. I just have my lab make me a custom print. Where are you able to locate these labs, so far I have not been able to find them?




Since I cut my own mats and do my own frames, non-standard sizes do not cost anymore. Plus, I believe most pre-cut mats found in regaular stores such as Michael's are not conservation mats so I wouldn't use them anyway Where do you find your mats?

This info has been helpful to me too, I too do not like to crop for aspect ratio all some photos.

 

[The_Traveler]

There are a couple of really good reasons to crop to standard formats.

First, a print will be much less expensive to mat and frame in standard format.

Since I cut my own mats and do my own frames, non-standard sizes do not cost anymore. Plus, I believe most pre-cut mats found in regaular stores such as Michael's are not conservation mats so I wouldn't use them anyway

If you are printing for multiple sales or your purchasers to mat and frame then having images in a standard aspect ratio saves the difference between a stock frame and custom framing. And conservation level mats are available on line and from art stores with no problem.

Second, the further the image is from a standard format that people are used to seeing the more likely that viewers will notice the shape of the image and incorporate that into their impression of the content.

As for the part I bolded, sounds to me like it could be a plus.

Using the aspect ratio to reinforce the image may be useful in the rare instance but for the vast proportion of photos and shooters, sticking to a standard aspect ratio will keep the viewers' eyes inside the frame on the content and not the shape.

 

[shmne]

As it always seems, KmH beat me to the punch. I consider myself an artist and truly believe that the only way to go is letting the best possible image come out. It is worth the extra money to get a custom print made.

With that said, as a commercial photographer more often then not my clients already have a spot in mind for the photo. This makes it my job to find out the size, and shoot as best I can to make it work.

Really in the end, it is the situation that determines which route is the best to take.

 

[dakkon76]

I think we could cut down on a lot of hostility if mods would be more diligent about locking threads that stray too far off topic and end up being a debate well beyond what the OP had intended.

 

[The_Traveler]

I think we could cut down on a lot of hostility if mods would be more diligent about locking threads that stray too far off topic and end up being a debate well beyond what the OP had intended.

This is very true but in an odd context as I see no hostility in this thread.