Crop Sizes

I'm curious about the crop sizes that folks generally use and why. I usually crop everything to 8 1/2 x 11 inches since that is the size I print, but looking at the posts on NPN I see crop sizes all over the spectrum. Is it just a matter of cropping to what "looks good" for some people based on the composition or is there some logic behind it all? Are there standard crop sizes that work best for certain types of photos?

Charlie,

This could potentially be a very interesting topic that could go in several different directions. My guess is that a good number of people are cropping just like you - to fit to a pre-determined print size. For me, and the purposes of posting to NPN, I'm not concerned about the print output, I'm concerned about the web presentation. But almost all the time, I'm posting in the format of the capture - In my case, a 4x5 ratio.

There is another subset of folks who prefer certain ratios; 3:2, 4:5, 4:3, 16:9, pano, 35mm, square, etc. This becomes a personal choice and some folks may choose to post and/or print in various formats.

There is yet another situation. Most of us have probably cropped to a square, or to a pan format, simply to improve the composition or eliminate an element they don't like.

So, in the end, there are numerous reasons why folks post in different formats - and probably as many reasons as there are opinions in the upcoming presidential election.... :-)

Lon

I crop and print without regard to standard size - based on what I think works best for the composition. I don't frame (only a couple thus far) many things, but this approach usually leads to custom frame sizes. If you frame a lot, or sell prints for framing, that would obviously factor in a lot more than it does for me - but you might be short changing some photos if they could be improved by being non-standard. You also might, then, want to choose certain comps when shooting that fit your chosen frame size/aspect ratio.

Charlie, I always try to frame my 35mm format compositions at the time of capture to eliminate the need for cropping downstream. I work under the premise that I will ultimately want to print the images and for my format that means 6 x 9, 8 x 12, 10 x 15 & 12 x 18.

Since there are no matting & framing costs/considerations for web display, cropping to improve the composition is always an option.

On the rare occassion that I take portraits for someone then I will frame the shots with the understanding that the subject will likely want images printed in standard (but varying) formats like 5 x 7 or 8 x 10. When faced with a request for the same image printed in multiple size formats you need to have allowed in advance enough latitude in the original frame to facilitate the crop necessary for the final output.

That's my approach.

Thanks all. I know that this is a pretty basic subject, but I've been wondering about it since I joined. I think that this info will clear up some things for others too.

I let the subject determine the crop, if any. I find working to some arbitrary ratio based on "standard" frame or paper size a bit too anal, and think that every image and every situation should be evaluated on its own merits.

If I want to print something for a show, then I cut a custom matte for the image to fit an appropriate frame.

Good point on using the matte to fit the frame Richard (and avoid the custom framing) - I suppose it's another place to be creative, but I could see it looking kind of crappy sometimes too.

For too many years we have shot and printed with the 3:2 ratio and for long I wasn't able to see and think in a different format. Lately I have agreed with myself I can stamp and post also with a 4:5 ratio. One hand is enough for counting the times I have sized in a square format. This is one of my limits because I see beautiful photos posted in many different sizes and our aim is only and always a beautiful photo. In the future I hope to come to a new, wider agreement with myself. A very interesting topic, thank for posting it.