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Photography Question 

John Wright
 

Printing photos and aspect ratios


I recently shot a series of photographs using a Canon Digi Rebel. I'm to the point of getting some prints done using an online service. When I went to order the prints, the aspect ratios were quite different than the full size photos.
This is turning out to be quite problematic. I've always been taught (and practiced) to fill the frame and crop while shooting. Doing this has caused some significant issues in getting the prints that I expect (and get using the camera - but can't in the prints).
Does anyone have any suggestions or tips on how to get the photos printed that I actually shot? How do you handle the difference in aspect ratios?

TIA,
John


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April 24, 2004

 

John Wright
  bump...


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April 26, 2004

 

doug Nelson
  If your camera offers a 3:2 aspect ratio when you shoot, that translates nicely to a 6 x 4 or a 12 x 8. Otherwise, something is going to be lost.
We old timers went through the same thing when we found that the 35mm frmame's ratio didn't fit common printing paper sizes.

One way around this is to put a cropping frame of the size you want to print onto the image in Photoshop, Elements or other imaging software and move it around until it's exactly what you want. Then you do your own printing on one of the new $150 inkjet printers. This process may bother you more than it does me. I personally don't like the 35mm image ratio, so I find I frequently crop off one side or the other of a horizontal, or off the top and/or bottom of a vertical.


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April 26, 2004

 

Dave Cross
  Hi John.

Your digital Rebel has the same aspect ratio as 35mm film (3:2). Most of the point-n-shoot digitals have an aspect ratio of 4:3 (same as TV). It's this aspect ratio that the online services set as the default (it's the most common).

Your online printing service should offer the option of 3:2 prints, if they don't, find one that does!

You could also try visiting your local photo-lab, many offer digital printing at rates competitive with the online services (well here in Europe anyway).

If you crop your pictures in Photoshop (to make the composition 'perfect') you rarely end up with one of the standard aspect ratios so there will always be wasted (white) paper on the print, time to get out the trimming knife :-)

Best regards

Dave C.



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April 27, 2004

 

John Wright
  I got it...
This was my first experience with "outsourcing" my prints. This seems like it will increase the time it takes to complete my digital workflow. I do like that I can get the standard 4x6 without cropping (because as I said - I try cropping at shoot time), but rather unfortunate that the 8x10 and 11x14 will not be the same photo as the 4x6. Live and learn...

Thanks for your input!


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April 27, 2004

 
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