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

* * * * *
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.

* * * * *
Yes, agree, it would be a form of "cropping" to change your aspect ratio for a shot, but
you would need to trade one sort of cropping for the other, that of just "cropping" as it
is generally described or shooting for the subject that it is..
Examples abound as to what happens when we change from our native aspect ratio to
something else when shooting certain subjects. That is exactly why we have choices in
cameras. Cropping after the shot, people may "gain or lose weight" if full figure or in facial
features. A tall vase or bottle shot with a native 2:3 ratio can become unpleasantly stubby if
switching to another aspect ratio for a print, etc.
It's up to the photographer to PLAN for what is wanted, rather than cope with problems after
a thoughtless shot. What's the tradeoff between one form of "cropping" for print and another..
as even sticking to your own aspect ratio you will have some trimming to fit a standard paper
size. Your treasured 3:2 landscape may not suffer but your 2:3 portrait subject may. That
landscape example was also mentioned in some previous response on this thread.

* * * * *


Yeah, why crop to make crap !!!
Simple remedy, stay within your own camera's native proportions. For the full frame DSLR that's 3:2
Having a print made...depends where you have it made...my film used to be printed at 10x8 unless
specifically ordering full frame. No difference with digital camera....
The once-popular 4x5 ratio is based on a once-popular old camera used for portraits.
Your 4x3 ratio will have its own standard crop unless you use a custom printer, and then what you
may WANT you will find distorted when wandering afar from your own camera's native aspect ratio.
Learn to shoot WITHIN that ratio and avoid distortion by considering the subject you shoot! Change
the ratio to fit the subject if it needs it! Then when you send out for prints or enlargements you can
avoid ugly distortion. Send for prints in the standard size for the subject you shot. Multiply both
dimensions by the same number. Check the ppi, (which will become dpi) for any chosen enlargement
to be sure you have enough in an enlargement not to make $$ into crap as warned above. (Whoever
said snapshots could be automatic masterpieces or that planning doesn't pay off?)

Shame on ya! So your next assignment as punishment is to produce, "Raining Cats & Dogs"

Ouch, Ugh!

What, first of all, is your previous use of cameras? P&S? film?
And what was your usual use of one, if there was any common routine? Auto? PASM?
The Olympus E M-etc.- models... can be such a joy to use. The manual is "something else"...and
possibly a hurdle to overcome?
I suggest you merely set the mode dial to P, and the ISO to it's recommended basic 200.
then, for early/late day, change the ISO to a higher # if you see in the viewfinder that the picture will be too
dark. From there you can start to experiment cautiously and I urge you not to give up. Anything this good,
is worth your attention and practice, and you are just as capable as anyone else to get the little beastie "trained"
to perform. PM me if you like for further encouragement.

Maybe it's an egg plant. (Or is that spelled eggplant for the veggie)

* * * * *
Some good points here, and at the, "end of the day" ,everyone will find out who was totally honest and who switched backgrounds.

All this serves to confirm my impression that having a sense of humor on UH can be
a distinct liability !!

[quote=photoMark]Yeah, when I saw this it brought me back to my childhood where we would lay in the grass and look for images in the clouds! LOL
Than
* * * * *You did that too? What a pity, kids can't do that anymore. Bacteria y'know. A mouse might have peed in the grass.

Good one !

Maybe he's in a hurry to get out of sight, but you captured him! Could crop off the left side
and have a perfect portrait of an angry tree, the best in the whole world!
Huh, and you thought you were doing a sunset???

They were in his avatar thingy

Her intelligence and gratitude will surprise you. Just love her and she will
change you life for the better. She will reward you for everything you do for her.
In addition to all the above advice to get a scratching post, it is not only good advice
but essential for her.
In the pet shop you will find special little nail clippers. Get her used to having you use
them early so she can trust you.
P.S. I'm da cat who rote dis ripply