cropping

blessedmama21

is there a technique when it comes to cropping? I am finding that when I crop I often come out with some funky sizes so when I go to get a print even more gets cropped off, etc. Is there a rule that you personally follow when cropping to get the optimum result?

thanks!

meewolfie

Check out this thread from the other day:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=38956

Someone had asked about preparing their files for printing. This may answer some of your questions (see the answers in the thread). If you have additional questions, come back and I'll see if I can answer them.

Mary

TylerW

blessedmama21 wrote:

is there a technique when it comes to cropping? I am finding that when I crop I often come out with some funky sizes so when I go to get a print even more gets cropped off, etc. Is there a rule that you personally follow when cropping to get the optimum result?

thanks!

in PhotoShop (and a number of others, I imagine) you can set your crop size ratio ahead of time, if you have a particular print size in mind. Keep in mind that 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 and 11x14 all have different aspect ratios, so there will always be a bit of cropping when you print.

HTH.

Seefutlung

First rule of cropping is to crop inside the camera. (Easier said than done)

So instead of shooting first and crop in PP, before you release the shutter, look around your center of interest ... what's to the left, top, bottom and right of you principal subject and adjust your viewfinder/LCD image accordingly (move your feet or adjust the zoom/lens to eliminate/minimize later PP cropping).

There are templates and dimensions for sizing up and down. For me, I crop to a size which presents the best photo. So I have all different sizes and shapes and I make up the difference with multiple, wide borders. (I print in a Desk Top Publishing Program and changing border size is very easy. Example: Say I have a shinny vertical pix of a long stem flower ... my borders may end up at 2" wide on the left and right [4" total] and only 1/2" on top and bottom.) This way I can remove elements that are not necessary to the final image and still have an easily framable photo with distinctive and attractive border.

Typically, I only print 8.5" x 11" and larger.