# What is your normal cropping guidlines that you follow?



## Rudipides (Aug 7, 2014)

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


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## SnappingShark (Aug 7, 2014)

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


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## The_Traveler (Aug 7, 2014)

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.


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## runnah (Aug 7, 2014)

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.


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## Rudipides (Aug 7, 2014)

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?


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## gsgary (Aug 7, 2014)

BrightByNature said:


> 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


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## KmH (Aug 7, 2014)

Rudipides said:


> 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).


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## Rudipides (Aug 7, 2014)

KmH said:


> Rudipides said:
> 
> 
> > 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?
> ...





Thanks.


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## KmH (Aug 7, 2014)

Did you grok the math?


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## jsecordphoto (Aug 7, 2014)

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


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## manaheim (Aug 7, 2014)

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


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## HikinMike (Aug 7, 2014)

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.


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## KmH (Aug 7, 2014)

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.


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## Derrel (Aug 7, 2014)

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.


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## AlanKlein (Aug 8, 2014)

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.


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## Scatterbrained (Aug 8, 2014)

Rudipides said:


> .......... 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..............................
> 
> 
> Thanks



If you have an image that might sell at different aspect ratios (say a 5x7 and an 8x10), don't crop it during post.  Crop to the aspect ratios needed when they are needed; i.e., when someone says "can I get this in 5x7?" you can create a virtual copy in Lr and crop it to 5x7.  Meanwhile you can have one VC cropped at 8x10 for display.  This way if you need to print in a different aspect ratio you're not stuck cropping into an image that was already cropped before the post work was complete.   Basically, crop last.  

Of course if you're selling something like still lifes or landscapes then by all means crop whenever you want to whatever aspect ratio you feel best suits the image.


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## Santa_Claus (Aug 23, 2014)

I have to rough crop before uploading "proofs" to SmugMug, but must have enough image to allow for every aspect ratio someone might order a print in. I use the aspect ratio overlay in Lightroom to make sure I don't get too tight. Here is a screen grab from the Adobe blog:
http://blogs.adobe.com/jkost/files/2013/05/25-CropAspectOverlay.jpg

(Reposted as a link, sorry)


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## D-B-J (Aug 23, 2014)

manaheim said:


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




This is what I do. And then inform the client of their different crop sizes on the final print. 

Jake


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## SCraig (Aug 23, 2014)

gsgary said:


> Why are you taking photos if you never print



Same reason I don't presumably: He doesn't want to.

Mine are cropped 3:2 and I very seldom vary from that.  Maybe an occasional 5:4 but never, ever square.


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## gsgary (Aug 23, 2014)

SCraig said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> > Why are you taking photos if you never print
> ...


Personally i think it's pointless taking up photography and not printing


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## IgsEMT (Aug 23, 2014)

With our studio its all over: 2x3, 1x1, 4x5ish, 2x1 and sometimes 3x1. Its all about that particular image and how it looks better.


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## SCraig (Aug 23, 2014)

gsgary said:


> Personally i think it's pointless taking up photography and not printing


To each their own.


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## gsgary (Aug 23, 2014)

SCraig said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> > Personally i think it's pointless taking up photography and not printing
> ...


It makes having a good camera pointless because you never see what it is capable of


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## SCraig (Aug 23, 2014)

gsgary said:


> It makes having a good camera pointless because you never see what it is capable of


As I said, *TO EACH THEIR OWN*.  You do things your way and I'll do things my way.

I've printed hundreds of photographs in a darkroom, both B&W and color, so I've done my share.  I know perfectly well what my cameras are capable of and these days I don't necessarily need to print every image I shoot to see it.

'Nuf said on this subject.


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## gsgary (Aug 23, 2014)

SCraig said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> > It makes having a good camera pointless because you never see what it is capable of
> ...


Thats what digital does to you


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## W.Y.Photo (Aug 28, 2014)

Original Aspect Ratio forlyfe


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## CameraClicker (Aug 28, 2014)

Portraits are usually 5 X 7 or 8 X10.  Photos in books are varied sizes based on the book's shape and page layout.  Landscape, portrait and square crops of various sizes go on Flickr.  If there will be a series that might be in a slide show, I try to keep the crop, size and orientation the same because it's a less jarring experience.


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## rexbobcat (Aug 28, 2014)

gsgary said:


> It makes having a good camera pointless because you never see what it is capable of



False.


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## Santa_Claus (Aug 28, 2014)

gsgary said:


> SCraig said:
> 
> 
> > gsgary said:
> ...



That strikes me as funny because a couple of decades ago the ultimate expression of the photographer's art was shooting to slide film and displaying slideshow... Seems pretty analogous to displaying on an HD screen. Just sayin'.


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## Josh66 (Aug 28, 2014)

BrightByNature said:


> However, I try to avoid square


Try it, you might like it.


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## gsgary (Aug 29, 2014)

Santa_Claus said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> > SCraig said:
> ...


Slides were printed on cibachrome


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 29, 2014)

I don't follow any guidelines. I crop images how I feel brings out the best in them.


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## W.Y.Photo (Aug 29, 2014)

Gary has a point guys, you never really know an image till you've seen it printed, something about viewing it as an actual physical object just changes the whole perspective and quality of it. Viewing it on the screen only is like looking at only the slides while never making a real final product.


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## CameraClicker (Aug 29, 2014)

gsgary said:


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



I don't think of printing as the goal.  I do prints and books, but I started out shooting slides.   Prints always look dull to me.  I prefer slides, transparencies, and now, monitors.  The Internet is awesome, you can show your photos to people around the world.  Previously you had to print them and mail them.  I have a portfolio on my phone, too.  I can show you my photos while standing in line, anywhere.


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