Cropping in Lightroom Help

tshaddick

I am hoping someone can help me out. I am using lightroom 2.4 and shooting raw images.

If I want to crop a few images at once, I select multiple images and select 8x10 from the aspect ratio box, however when I select the next image the aspect ratio is 4x5. Why is it not staying at 8x10 for all images selected?

Also, from some of the reading I have done, I have read that I should be leaving the aspect ratio at original for export to smugmug. However, how do I crop the image to 8x10 with an original aspect ratio?

Sorry I am sure this is straight-forward, but I am new, and want to ensure I am doing it right. Any links to reading that I can do for lightroom and image editing would be appreciated.

Thanks!

W.W. Webster

tshaddick wrote:

If I want to crop a few images at once, I select multiple images and select 8x10 from the aspect ratio box, however when I select the next image the aspect ratio is 4x5. Why is it not staying at 8x10 for all images selected?!

Isn't 4x5 the same ratio as 8x10?

Art Scott

W.W. Webster wrote:

Isn't 4x5 the same ratio as 8x10?

winkthumbthumbYup

tshaddick

W.W. Webster wrote:

Isn't 4x5 the same ratio as 8x10?

So if I were to print an 8x10 or a 4x5 I would end up with the exact same thing??? If this is the case, why are both options?

Toshido

Okay first, what is an aspect ratio????

Aspect ratio refers to the relationship of length and width of the image. NOT the actual dimensions...

So....

1x2=2x4=3x6=4x12 etc...

4x5 = 8x10= 16x20 = 32x40 etc...

2x3 = 4x6 = 8x12= 16=24 etc....

These are aspect ratios, not print sizes.


So in your question about printing an 6x10 and a 4x5 would they be the same? No....

The aspect ratio would be the same, meaning you would not have to crop the image to print both of these sizes. BUT one image would be 4" x 5" the other would be twice the size at 8" x 10"...


Hopefully you have a little better understanding of aspect ratios now.

However, how do I crop the image to 8x10 with an original aspect ratio?

You can't is the simple answer. if you are using a medium, or is it large (?) format camera with a 4"x5" film in it than the original aspect ratio could print as an 8"x10" print.

Assuming you are using a digital SLR, you likely produce images with a 2x3 aspect ratio. This printsfine as a 4"x6" print because they have the same aspect ratio.
To print as an 8"x10" though you have to change the aspect ratio through cropping. Smugmug also has the option of maintaining the original aspect ratio BUT that leaves white strips on two sides of the print. Because the aspect ratio of the image does not match the aspect ratio of the paper.

IF you upload original aspect ratio images and somebody prints it as an 8x10 print. They can crop it right in the ordering process though. Or if you are a pro member you can have print delay on, which allows you to personally crop and further PP all prints before printing and shipped.

Hope this actually explains and help more than confuses

BTW, I am now cropping everything to 4x5 ratio before uploading, just because I like it

tshaddick

Toshido wrote:

Okay first, what is an aspect ratio????

Aspect ratio refers to the relationship of length and width of the image. NOT the actual dimensions...

So....

1x2=2x4=3x6=4x12 etc...

4x5 = 8x10= 16x20 = 32x40 etc...

2x3 = 4x6 = 8x12= 16=24 etc....

These are aspect ratios, not print sizes.


So in your question about printing an 6x10 and a 4x5 would they be the same? No....

The aspect ratio would be the same, meaning you would not have to crop the image to print both of these sizes. BUT one image would be 4" x 5" the other would be twice the size at 8" x 10"...


Hopefully you have a little better understanding of aspect ratios now.



You can't is the simple answer. if you are using a medium, or is it large (?) format camera with a 4"x5" film in it than the original aspect ratio could print as an 8"x10" print.

Assuming you are using a digital SLR, you likely produce images with a 2x3 aspect ratio. This printsfine as a 4"x6" print because they have the same aspect ratio.
To print as an 8"x10" though you have to change the aspect ratio through cropping. Smugmug also has the option of maintaining the original aspect ratio BUT that leaves white strips on two sides of the print. Because the aspect ratio of the image does not match the aspect ratio of the paper.

IF you upload original aspect ratio images and somebody prints it as an 8x10 print. They can crop it right in the ordering process though. Or if you are a pro member you can have print delay on, which allows you to personally crop and further PP all prints before printing and shipped.

Hope this actually explains and help more than confuses

BTW, I am now cropping everything to 4x5 ratio before uploading, just because I like it

Yes, that makes more sense...these were things I never worried about with a point and shoot camera...haha.

Thanks for your time and help.

W.W. Webster

tshaddick wrote:

So if I were to print an 8x10 or a 4x5 I would end up with the exact same thing??? If this is the case, why are both options?

Try it for yourself!

Select 8x10, note the crop, and then 4x5 as the crop ratios and you'll see Lightroom crops the image in exactly the same way. "8x10" doesn't necessarily refer to inches, just to a size ratio. The actual size of your print is another matter entirely.