Cropping - Maintaining the Photo Ratio or Changing for a Better Result?

[Speedway]

Easy. My D3 can be set to shoot in 5:4 ratio...So if I want to do any 8x10's, I can shoot the photo in the right aspect ratio to start with

So can the 7D.

[junqbox]

I compose to whatever best suits the image.
In most circumstances I would too, but there's often surrounding elements potentially causing grief. More so when working within different genres.



It's purely an aesthetic issue for me; I just don't like 4:5 (or 4:3).

I don't particulalry like 4:3 myself, but I have an LF camera which has options to shoot 5:4, 6x7cm, 6x9cm, MF cameras which are 4.5x60cm and of course 35mm/DX. So for me, I don't feel the need to constrain to what the camera format is.

[Xenedis]

Easy. My D3 can be set to shoot in 5:4 ratio...So if I want to do any 8x10's, I can shoot the photo in the right aspect ratio to start with

Heh. See, for me, 4:5 is never the right aspect ratio. I don't think my camera can do that anyway, but if it did, it'd never get used. :-P

[Speedway]

My 7D can but never has.
Keith.

[Miss Jane]

This thead has been good reading but I'm still trying to figure out some print sizes psot cropping.
I have a full frame camera, I need to crop most of the photos I took at a show, more of less to zoom in adn enlarge the subject. I have already gone an cropped about 300 ranging between 5x7, 4x6 and 8x10. This might be a dumb question but will these print out on a standard 4x6 paper or 6x8 paper say from Big W or harvey norman?
The photos will be for sale as printed or digital so I probably need a standard for me or customers to print. Should I just go with 4x6 or 6x8 for everything? Or as I asked above will those other cropped sizes still print out on a 4x6 or 6x8 which I think is the size I will be offering?

[I @ M]

Miss Jane, with all due respect, if you have to ask the questions about image print format needed when you intend to sell the prints I reckon you are about 6 steps in front of your ability.

To put it simply, most DSLRs have a native image format of 2:3 and that applies to full frame or APSC sensor size.
Some are able to be configured in camera to record in 4:5 and 9:16 format.

What did you capture the images at?

If you answer 2:3 then your images will fit on a 4x6 inch print ( close to but not exactly ) but other sizes like 8x10 and 5x7 will not fit properly.

Apart from all that I would do yourself a huge favour and not kill any repeat business by using Big W or Hardly Normal to do any printing that you wish to sell or enhance your reputation by.

[ricktas]

This thead has been good reading but I'm still trying to figure out some print sizes psot cropping.
I have a full frame camera, I need to crop most of the photos I took at a show, more of less to zoom in adn enlarge the subject. I have already gone an cropped about 300 ranging between 5x7, 4x6 and 8x10. This might be a dumb question but will these print out on a standard 4x6 paper or 6x8 paper say from Big W or harvey norman?
The photos will be for sale as printed or digital so I probably need a standard for me or customers to print. Should I just go with 4x6 or 6x8 for everything? Or as I asked above will those other cropped sizes still print out on a 4x6 or 6x8 which I think is the size I will be offering?

They will print at the aspect ratio's you have cropped them to, So trying to print a 5x7 on a 4x6 papersize will not work, it will need to be printed on a 5x7 paper. As Andrew above, says, this is fairly basic printing stuff. I also agree with him about not using BigW or HN for prints you want to sell. Find a good quality, dedicated photo printer.

[MarkChap]

ALSO - please understand that if you crop to a SIZE, that is the size that the image will BEST print at.
That is if you crop to a 6x4 size, then that is all you have, a 6x4, which will not print well if enlarged.

It is always best to crop to a ratio, and as long as you are not cropping too much or hard, is more likely to print quite well and most sizes (up to a point) that suit the same ratio

[Miss Jane]

Andrew, now, thanks to the replies i am 5 steps in front of my ability I have not printed/enlarged photos since the film days. And yes I am new to this side of photography ie printing & selling.
This show was my first "professional" job that I was asked to do in conditions that I have never tried before, so it was a huge learning curve.
The answer from Mark "It is always best to crop to a ratio, and as long as you are not cropping too much or hard, is more likely to print quite well and most sizes (up to a point) that suit the same ratio" is what I was looking for. But all the answers were very helpful.
Next step would be to find a photo printer, I think Camera House is the only one in town but I will check it out.

[Maezyra]

Wow! This thread has taken off! I'm loving all of this debate about cropping! Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far!

[swifty]

I crop to whatever works for the image. The key is non-destructive editing.
So the original is preserved which will often save u printing headaches as everyone has suggested.
Or keep whatever ratio you've cropped to but paste it on a blank 'canvas' in a common ratio and send that in for print. So you get no surprise cropping when the print comes back, jz a slightly smaller image with some white around it which you block out when mounting for display anyways.
Eg. BigW has an offer right now for $1 11X14 prints. What sort of ratio is 11X14!!!! Yea I know, printing from BigW with no ctrl over prints but at $1 who can complain, but I digress.
So yea, paste your cropped photo onto a 11X17 canvas and print without worrying what gets cut off. Then physically cut the white out of the prints if required.