# Getting the picture sizing right



## SabrinaO (Dec 22, 2010)

I edit my photos and perform my crops in Lightroom and save the photo to a width of 1024 and leave the height blank... so it would constrain the proportions. Well i went to print up some pics today and some pictures had to be cropped and clipped because i wanted 4X6's and 5X7's. Fingers got cut off, heads got chopped and major details got clipped... not good.
How do you all set the size for your photos to be printed when doing PP work? Obviously noone is gonna get it perfectly on 4X6 or 5X7 when cropping. So i just want to know what you all do.


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## Robin Usagani (Dec 22, 2010)

Dont resize your pixels unless you use it for web view.  Leave it where it is.   1024 pixel isnt high enough for a 4x6 print!!

I print mine at costco.  I load everything with 2:3 ratio.  It will give me warning when I print on 5x7.  It will let you decide how to crop it though.


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## SabrinaO (Dec 22, 2010)

Schwettylens said:


> Dont resize your pixels unless you use it for web view.  Leave it where it is.   1024 pixel isnt high enough for a 4x6 print!!
> 
> I print mine at costco.  I load everything with 2:3 ratio.  It will give me warning when I print on 5x7.  It will let you decide how to crop it though.




What? So I shouldn't resize at all?? OMG I gave prints to someone already with a width of 1024.:x  Does the camera size photos for a 4X6 or a 5X7, 8X10 etc. automatically? What is a 2:3 ratio? Im sorry...im still pretty much new to this.


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## SabrinaO (Dec 22, 2010)

Schwettylens said:


> Dont resize your pixels unless you use it for web view.  Leave it where it is.   1024 pixel isnt high enough for a 4x6 print!!
> 
> I print mine at costco.  I load everything with 2:3 ratio.  It will give me warning when I print on 5x7.  It will let you decide how to crop it though.




Also, when im cropping.. how do i keep it so there will be no clipping on a 5X7 or a 4X6 etc? Do i just eye it the best i can?


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## Robin Usagani (Dec 22, 2010)

4x6 = 2:3 ratio.  Your sensor is 2:3 ratio (most dslrs are).  So all of your photos should print correctly on 4x6 with no clipping. 

Like I said, the website I print my photos will let me decide how to crop it if I print something other than 2:3 ratio.

If you want to make the file to be the correct ratio for 5:7 ratio, go to crop on LR and there should be a place to lock the cropping ratio (square, same as original file, 2:3, 5:7 etc.).


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## SabrinaO (Dec 22, 2010)

Schwettylens said:


> 4x6 = 2:3 ratio.  Your sensor is 2:3 ratio (most dslrs are).  So all of your photos should print correctly on 4x6 with no clipping.
> 
> Like I said, the website I print my photos will let me decide how to crop it if I print something other than 2:3 ratio.
> 
> If you want to make the file to be the correct ratio for 5:7 ratio, go to crop on LR and there should be a place to lock the cropping ratio (square, same as original file, 2:3, 5:7 etc.).




OK...i get this... thankyou! But say I crop elements out of the picture... like that wierd random guy in the background or just cropping for a better composition how do set it so it still can be printed as a 4X7 with no clipping?


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## Robin Usagani (Dec 22, 2010)

YOu have to crop it with 2:3 ratio (long side divided by short side = 1.5).  Dont do random crop.


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## mwcfarms (Dec 22, 2010)

Schwettylens said:


> YOu have to crop it with 2:3 ratio (long side divided by short side = 1.5).  Dont do random crop.




+111


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## KmH (Dec 22, 2010)

4x6, 8x10, and 5x7 are all different rectangular shapes.

4x6, 6x9, 8x12, 10x15, 16x24, 20x30 are all in the 2:3 aspect ratio.

If your camera makes photos in the 3:2 aspect ratio, if you want an 8x10 (4:5 aspect ratio) or a 5x7 (5:7), you have to crop some off the long side.


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## vtf (Dec 22, 2010)

PSE lets me select 8x10, 4x6 or 5x7 when I crop, I do not touch pixels until web time.. Its part of my workflow.


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## BuS_RiDeR (Dec 22, 2010)

Think of what sizes you want before editing...  Although some print sizes use the same aspect ratio (ie. 4x6, 6x9, 8x12 all use 2:3) white other sizes like 8x10 or 5x7 use different aspect ratios...

It is best (I think) to determine what size prints you or the client will want before editing/printing. This way you can resize/crop in post accordingly.






















This Wikipedia article helped me understand it when I needed to...


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## KmH (Dec 22, 2010)

Something like this:


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## MissCream (Dec 22, 2010)

vtf said:


> PSE lets me select 8x10, 4x6 or 5x7 when I crop, I do not touch pixels until web time.. Its part of my workflow.




This is what I do in Lightroom too. I just select what size I want it cropped to..


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