What size should I crop my photos to before uploading?

Carlotta

I'm new to SmugMug and have started uploading photos to sell to customers and was unsure if it is better to upload photos cropped to 8 x 10 (300ppi) or 4 x 6 (300ppi)? I know cropping in SmugMug will have to take place if a customer orders a different size. Help!!!!

Wendee

Hi Carlotta,

Welcome to SmugMug and Dgrin!

The ratio you choose for your images is really your call, but personally I see more orders with 4x6 prints than 8x10, even though 8x10 is a super popular size. If your camera takes photos in a 2:3 ratio, the images already fit the 4x6, so I would suggest leaving them in their original dimensions when you upload.

Be sure you enable Proof Delay so that when customers purchase from your galleries you're able to edit the images and adjust the cropping as needed, to make sure they receive the best possible prints.
http://www.smugmug.com/help/proof-retouch-replace

The PPI or DPI isn't what we look for to make sure the images are big enough to print, but we do have minimum resolution requirements here:
http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/93359

I hope this helps! If you need anything else, please let us know.

Take care,
Wendee
SmugMug Support Hero
http://help.smugmug.com/

Andy

PHOTOK wrote: »

So I changed two things. First, I changed how I shoot. I now leave more room around the entire image when I shoot. I no longer fill the frame with my subject. Second, I now crop to 5x7.

Mathematically, 5x7 is bigger than 2x3 and 4x5 so any customer who wants 4x6 or 8x10 will be able to crop my 5x7 without cutting out any important parts of the image. But, I also find that I am selling more 5x7s now. I guess that people don't want to be bothered cropping. My profit margin is better for 5x7 so I end up making more money too.

Hope that helps.

This is what I've been advising pros for years and years on. Leave room for cropping - today's cameras can stand it! Don't shoot so tight that the customer can't make an 8x10 or 5x7. Use Proof Delay so that YOU the pro can crop even if your customer didn't