Crop ratio

Derek.Laurence

Derek.Laurence

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Name
Derek
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi
Wherever I crop any images PP I always use an aspect ratio of 6*4 (or 4*6). I've always done this. I know not why ( other than it suits 6*4 prints)
On a few tutorials I've watched online I've noticed some people just fly by the seat of their pants and crop however they feel.
Are there any rules to live by? Should the crop solely suit the image? Am I living in the past cropping 6*4?
 
Last edited:
Derek.Laurence said:
Hi
Wherever I crop any images PP I always use an aspect ratio of 6*4 (or 4*6). I've always done this. I know not why ( other than it suits 6*4 prints)
On a few tutorials I've watched online I've noticed some people just fly by the seat of there pants and crop however they feel.
Are there any rules to live by? Should the crop solely suit the image? Am I living in the past cropping 6*4?
Click to expand...
I do the same.
 
I use to, but crop how i feel now. Some briefs specifically ask the image to fit a certain area on a website of brochure but with portraiture I tend to go with what looks good and not the traditional sizes.
 
Most SLRs (35mm and digital) use the 3:2 ratio. Other than 6x4 though, few easily available paper sizes match that, possibly the commonest being the A series of sizes which are 1:1.414. For me, the final destination is what determines the crop size (and ratio) - if it's for the web, I tend to stick with 800pixels wide which leaves me 533pixels high in 3:2 ratio. If printing for a frame, I crop to the frame/mount aperture size.
 
Nala and Mr Prescott making perfect sense there.
This would leave me in a predicament given that I sometimes leave the files sitting on the PC and then at a later date may decide to print them for a frame. Something one may need to live with I suppose ( unless I keep an original to recrop)
 
I always keep the original file, whatever the original intended final use. Storage is so (relatively) cheap these days and once you crop, you've lost any areas you've cropped off.
 
Keeping a 3:2 ratio makes it a bit easier if you get prints done commercially, but I never feel I have to keep that ratio at all costs; it depends what image I think looks best. I keep the original file but this has nothing to do with whether I have cropped the image. The only time the original is scrapped is if I'm sure the shot is not worth keeping.

Dave
 
I crop to suit the image; this may mean that every image has a unique ratio.

Given that I go for a matte around the image that matches the frame size (although I don't rule out bespoke frame sizes either) the actual image aspect ratio doesn't matter.
 
Yep, i keep the original as long as i can, especially things like reproducing oil paintings. You can spend ages colour correcting a painting to get it as near as possible on a 5 colour press only to find it easier to start from the original shot on a small digital press.
 
Crop how you like, unless a certain aspect ratio is needed to suit a frame or similar.

No need to crop to fit a particular size of print paper. Most labs and print machines have an option to print the whole image as presented, you just end up with some white areas that can be trimmed off.
 
I either stick to 3:2 or go 1:1 for squares unless I can't so I'll keep as close to these as I possibly can.
 
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