 Jim Echols |
Printing 4x6 and Cropping I have a Nikon D50, and when I send out pictures to be printed, some are cropped, others are printed full image. What is the key to getting full images that are not cropped?
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John Rhodes |
Martin, Your camera has an aspect ratio of "nearly" 3:2. That is, for every 2 units in one dimension, the image has 3 units in the other. I say nearly 3:2 - not exact. If you do no cropping yourself to ensure the image is 4x6, then the folks who make the prints will crop for you. Sometimes, you may not notice any loss of critical parts of the image, but at other times, something important will be lost. Bottom line: You do the cropping. John
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Jim Echols |
Thanks John.....one more question, I'm using Elements to edit my pics, is there an option to specify 4x6, if not how do I know how much of the pic needs to be cropped? Thanks!!!
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rrr S. rrr |
When I used to send out film to be processed, I hated they way they cropped too so I would put in a note that said: "Print full frame, no cropping. I realize they will have black portions but that's the way I want them." Then when the prints would come back, they would have black areas on two opposite sides of the photo. They won't be a perfect 4x6 (or whatever size you need) but then it's up to you to crop where you want to or not crop.
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John Rhodes |
Jim, I used to use Elements, but have been using PSCS2 for awhile--my point being, I'll try to recall the steps in the process. First check the current image size (Image menu) to see what the native file size is. It will be somewhere close to a 3:2 aspect ratio. Check the size in "inches" and crop to the nearest size to obtain a 3:2 ratio using the Crop tool from the tool box. Set the crop dimensions to the specific size desired. Expand the crop to the selected size, then use the Move tool to slide the selection around to retain the best of the image. Let me know if I wasn't clear or if I can give further help. John
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Jim Echols |
John, that was pretty clear, I'll let you know if I can't figure it out. Now one more baffling question, why would some pic have to be cropped and others display at full image with no cropping? The series of pics were all shot with the same settings at the same event and time. Why would some require cropping and others not? Thanks for any info!!!!
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John Rhodes |
Jim, the only explanation I can think of is that what you perceive as "cropped” or "not cropped" depends on the composition of the image. Photos that have detail near the edges are easier to detect whether or not cropping occurred. Best advice is to allow some “neutral” space around the edges when you shoot the image so no detail will be lost when the image is cropped. John
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Linda Buchanan |
Can you explain this crop procedure for PCS2? Dumb it down please! I have also struggled with this. Thanks.
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John Rhodes |
Linda, I converted a RAW file to a Tiff and opened it in PS CS2. I selected Image Size under the Image menu and set the resolution to 300 per inch. The width (in pixels) was 3760 and the height was 2500 (In inches, 12.533 x 8.333). This is the standard image size for my camera This is not exactly a 3:2 aspect ratio; close, but not exact. The closest size would be 8" x 12" (2400 x 3600). This allows resizing to 4 x 6 without losing any detail. Now, when I did this, I could see no difference between the original image and the resized image (The difference was so small). However, when you have a print service print for you, the best way is to set the exact size you want—4 x 6 for example. Don’t just take the unedited image from your camera or card to the printer. Edit first for your desired final size. John
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Mary E. Heinz |
Hi all, I have to speak up for my printing company here...I love the ROES system...you just "fit or crop" and what you see in the frame is what you get...I LOVE THEM ! Mary
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Mikael Orbratt |
A bit of advice to ensure your photo lab doesn't cut away important parts of your photo. A always add 0.1 inch when cropping. For example, I would crop a 4 x 6 to 4.1 x 6.1. All labs cut differently so you need to make sure you know what your lab is doing. Good luck! Mikael
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