burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

ANY aspect ratio image can be sized and padded with extra "canvas" (blank or colored borders) so it fits on a standard paper size and into a standard size frame.

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

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Think you missed a point or two and it may only confuse people by doing so. A big difference between
what you can do if YOU print or if sending it out to only those places where standard sizes are available.
"If you insist on not cropping..."and the customer/client wanted 20x24, your best option would be a use a Hassie but then you would STILL have to crop wouldn't you...
I was considering the options originally for those who send their, (often unplanned dimensions), out.
But in any case, when you consider subject, and its fit-to-frame, rather than who does the printing, it's up to you how to plan the end result. In most situations you will not be able to avoid cropping one way or another. even if you "don't crop".

That aforementioned tall vase or bottle isn't going to have as many pixels if shooting it in a 3:4 ratio and later
wanting an 8x12 "full frame 35mm" 2:3 print. But we've seen enough of what others ask to remind them to use "common
sense", and if they don't know what they're doing they won't be able to identify what makes sense at all when the printer
tells them they can't have the (odd) size they want, or that there, "won't be enough pixels if enlarging".
There really IS a reason your camera mfr. has given the option to change the aspect ratio from its default setting for
certain situations, and even those who do their own printing can benefit from using those options.

BebuLamar

The option of changing aspect ratio on camera is simply a crop in camera. It's best to use the entire sensor and crop in post.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

No argument here. But I'm talking about exceptions to the norm being properly framed, with or without a mat. I was given a picture of a seagull in flight. My wife (first one) loved it and called it "Jonathan" (if the others out there don't understand, look up "Jonathan L. Seagull"). But it was 7 X 14! I spent over an hour just cutting the joints for the frame before clamping and gluing it. Then I went to the only hardware store in the county than did not question my choice of type and size of glass. The rest was simple and my kept the picture hanging in her bedroom for the rest of her life. After she died and her apartment was being cleaned out, my (now ex) daughter-in-law dropped the picture and broke the frame and glass; the picture was undamaged. Our son asked me to reframe it. I took it to my favorite photo shop (at the time; now defunct) and walked out ten minutes later with the components, including glass, for a new frame. It took me less than fifteen minutes to assemble the frame and cost less than the original glass had cost. Remember, this was a 7 X 14 picture, not exactly your standard size (even an aspect ratio of 2:1 is not standard). There was no padding, no blanks, no portion of the picture (except the ⅛ inch under the edges of the frame) lost. Last week, I found an old 8 X 10, similarly framed, but without some of the components. I called the dealer, and four days later had the components - at no charge. And this was 15-20 years after I purchased the original frame! Take a trip to:

https://www.dickblick.com/brands/nielsenbainbridge/

I think you'll enjoy it! 🖼😀 🖼

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

Of course it is a crop in camera. Best to decided how is one to crop the pixels then, especially for those
disappointed folks who come to UH and lament that when they went back to pick up their pictures they
found none of the friends and relatives at the that great party now had heads

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Jenny, I think they call that proper composition. 😇🙂🙃

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

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Yep that's what it is. They didn't know there's more to composition than
composition...... until they went back to the printer

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Ah yes, there is that......wait, what did AA call it? Oh yes, I remember......visualization.

Now, let us all visualize all the wedding guests with their heads cut off. 😭🤧😪

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

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But they "got what they asked for". So I guess if they can't understand what they should be
asking for, they should just ask the printer to tell them what they can get in the aspect ratio
they use, rather than ask for what they "want". (Still, it's our duty to try to help when they ask
here.)

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

In other words, the customer is "always right," but often under-informed, or they would be correct!

I dealt with this crap in the lab for years. Sometimes, you have to sit on the same side of the table with the client, and agree how to push the problem off the other side (i.e.; solve it). They must understand WHY a square peg won't fit a round hole before they will let you change the shape.

canon Lee

If im in LR and I want to crop at 11x14 how do I set that ratio?

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Almost all my prints are custom format...rarely match one of the standards. Which is one of several reasons that I've chosen as my primary printing lab one that charges by the square inch, regardless of format.

Dave

Linary Loc: UK

In LR > Develop Module - Crop Mode
Click on the padlock to unlock it (if locked)
Click on the word "Original" and in the dialogue that opens, choose "Enter custom"
A box opens "Enter Custom Aspect Ratio"
Enter 11 and 14 in the boxes provided
click OK

The box will close, the aspect ratio by the padlock will read 11 x 14: and the grid overlay will now be at 11 x 14
Press "X" on your keyboard to change from landscape to portrait.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

You can crop or you can export at that size. I think it is better to crop so you can control what gets removed.

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

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Referring back to the Op's topic and question then, he does not understand why 16x20 is not the same ratio as 20x24. Let's try to help him:
Both 16 and 20, can be divided by 4..... to get 4, and 5......and 4:5 is NOT the same dimensions as
20 x 24, as that gets you 5 and 6..... 4:6 . No one ratio will "translate" to another in some other size! You need to stay in your own aspect ratio.
Whatever one is the default ratio for your camera, or any other ratio you choose, needs to be in the SAME ratio to enlarge or reduce in order to fit a
standard size paper, (unless you want to pay for custom printing), and to avoid minimum crop.
So multiply to enlarge or divide to reduce by the same numbers for BOTH dimensions. What was your original starting point, i.e. camera's ratio
before you enlarged anything?
I notice that this thread is taking 2 different paths, those who print and those who send out, and further subdivided by those who send to custom
labs and those who go to Walmart. I think the Op wanted an answer for the local option. Maybe 3 different threads would cover this subject, and almost
certainly there are answers for everyone else in the search feature or especially in the printing sub-forum.