What size to crop?

dan_yorkshire

dan_yorkshire

Messages
2,398
Name
Dan
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi all,

Took some shots at my brothers wedding last week and wanna put them on a disk for their honeymoon return.

My question is to what size I crop them to when processing? 7x5, 8x10?

I'm assuming wedding photographers etc crop everything to one size?

Surely if you crop them to one size and they want them printed at another you are going to lose detail on one edge or another?

Dan
 
I usually, unless asked for specific sizes crop to a 3:2 ratio, that way they can be printed to most of the standard sizes without cropping further. hope that helps.:thumbs:
 
My personal view is crop the image to suit the content, not for any pre-determined photo size. However, if you're going down the route of easy peasy asda instant printing, then make 'em all 7x5. However, I'd imagine if you are giving them a CD they will probably look at them on the screen first, so I'd make 'em 1024x768 and if they want a few printed, then get them to contact you for printable sizes.
 
Cheers.

With it being my brother I can crop to suit their print but when you may not have contact with a client after, such as 'You will get a copy of every photo I take on a CD' what would be the normal cropping method? There must be one crop which is least damaging to other print sizes?

Dan
 
dan_yorkshire said:
Cheers.

With it being my brother I can crop to suit their print but when you may not have contact with a client after, such as 'You will get a copy of every photo I take on a CD' what would be the normal cropping method? There must be one crop which is least damaging to other print sizes?

Dan
Click to expand...

IF I were to be a wedding photographer, I certainly wouldn't go down the road you suggest above. No way would I want to do that. May be the 'bob a job' boys do that, but I certainly wouldn't.
 
I crop 7x5 as the same crop works on A4 and A3
All you need to decide is what prints you want to offer.

For various crops then you crop loose ie lots of space around the subject... which for weddings i would guess is poor...somethign i dont even do for sports.. but always do for media who crop as they like
 
There seems to be some confusion between cropping and re-sizing here.

Cropping is actually cutting some of the photo off and loosing it. I agree with Carol that you do this to get the photo aesthetically right.

Having got that right you can then enlarge it or reduce it so you get the picture size you want.
 
Hi Dan
I am a wedding photographer and I don’t crop my files to print sizes.
10x8 size will gives big problems, as it’s not the same aspect ratio as a digital file. (Aspect ratio is the ratio of the width of the image to its height.) To print this size you have to crop and lose part of your image. So if your brothers want to print all the photos 10x8 size, then it is a good idea to crop the images. You will be able to see what you will lose with cropping, some of your photo will not be look good cropped to this size
A4 works a lot better printed from a didital file.
Hope this has been of help
 
I'm in a similar position,

Am I right in thinking I and the op should crop where needed to get the right image composition regardless of aspect ratio? then adjust image size as per printing requirements?
 
Hi. If you crop to composition you will have to print on bigger paper and cut down. As paper sizes are set to things like 6x4 7x5 A4 and so on. We print a lot on roll paper so can fit any size print we like on it.
when cropping to 10x8 you will have to print on say A4 paper and the cut your print out. The next prob will be frames if you move away from stranded sizes. We solve this problem by making our own.
some people will have a different way of doing things, you will find the way you like best.
I now a photographer that will crop to 10x8 on all his files. I never got on with this way
 
Brindley said:
Hi. If you crop to composition you will have to print on bigger paper and cut down. As paper sizes are set to things like 6x4 7x5 A4 and so on. We print a lot on roll paper so can fit any size print we like on it.
when cropping to 10x8 you will have to print on say A4 paper and the cut your print out. The next prob will be frames if you move away from stranded sizes. We solve this problem by making our own.
some people will have a different way of doing things, you will find the way you like best.
I now a photographer that will crop to 10x8 on all his files. I never got on with this way
Click to expand...

It's a lot easier to crop and resize in software.
 
I took the photos for my sisters wedding last year (on a borrowed SLRs x2).
I cropped the photos to 9x6 as that keeps the 3:2 ratio, and is a pretty common size to print. I would say however, that I prefer 10x8 cropped photos for close ups - ie bride and groom, or just bride. 3:2 ratio shots look great for family groups (of 4-10 people) and I like a double wide panorama for 'the big group shot' of about 2:1 or even more wide than that! (20x8)

ps. I made a lot of use of the 'fixed aspect ratio' on the select tool in photoshop!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top