Aspect or crop ratio; how important is it to you? (Page 2): I need to do that more than I have in the past.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

47greyfox wrote:

If I have the need to crop, I try a few standard ratios. If they don’t give me what I want, I’ll immediately switch to free form and go for it.

I need to do that more than I have in the past.

kmpankopf Loc: Mid-Michigan; SW Pennsylvania

For me, and my thought only, any shot I take will show up on a monitor or TV before it gets printed. My final products are 16:9.
My saves are all original so I can go adjust if I want to print.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

rmalarz wrote:

Like yourself, I tend to stay with traditional ratios. This comes from darkroom printing, 8x10, 11x14, and 16x20. However, on occasion, I will resort to less than the traditional ratios, such as you presented here.

The example photograph you posted is fantastic. Though, I think there is a touch of hue contamination.
--Bob

Thank you for the thoughts. Yes, there is a color shift/hue. It was right at sunrise and the light was very yellow. The underlying grass (it was over a fallow field) was dry and yellow also. I debated changing the WB and/or hue but decided against it as it accurately portrays the colors I remember.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

kmpankopf wrote:

For me, and my thought only, any shot I take will show up on a monitor or TV before it gets printed. My final products are 16:9.
My saves are all original so I can go adjust if I want to print.

I have tried to go 16:9, but because I shoot almost exclusively birds, that aspect doesn't always work so well. It often draws attention more to the background than subject. Certainly when I display my images on the TV that looks best.

zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

Great shot! Like several others, I prefer the 3:2 ratio because it stresses horizontal lines and gives the image a somewhat cinematic look. I recently have begun experimenting with square cropping which balances out horizontal and vertical lines and gives an image a balanced look. Occasionally, I chose different ratios if I feel that the image warrants it; the picture posted here would be a good example for a wider ratio. Of course, this is a personal personal choice.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

bajadreamer wrote:

I usually try to stay with one of the "tradit... (show quote)

When I think to, I try to leave some extra space around the subject. Since I shoot RAW exclusively, I can then re-crop the photo if I want to use it for a different purpose. That said, many of the photos I take are family snapshots and reminders of events, and the aspect ratio for them is of little consequence.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

I think that aspect ratio is unimportant. The cropping should fit the image. This is what you did in your excellent photo. The only exception to this is for certain publications that may require a specific aspect ratio.

I always shoot RAW in the native aspect ratio an then crop accordingly in post.

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

One of the benefits of a digital world is the ability to compose the shot to suit the image. As you have done on what is a superb photograph of this fantastic bird.

Framing the print is another matter using traditional frames, but perhaps a canvas print is the answer. Can they be framed easily?

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

bajadreamer wrote:

I usually try to stay with one of the "tradit... (show quote)

I crop to what pleases my eye, fits the frame.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

zug55 wrote:

Great shot! Like several others, I prefer the 3:2 ratio because it stresses horizontal lines and gives the image a somewhat cinematic look. I recently have begun experimenting with square cropping which balances out horizontal and vertical lines and gives an image a balanced look. Occasionally, I chose different ratios if I feel that the image warrants it; the picture posted here would be a good example for a wider ratio. Of course, this is a personal personal choice.

Thank you. My default is 5:4; not sure why but just seems to work that way. PS "remembers" my last crop so defaults to that.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

DWU2 wrote:

When I think to, I try to leave some extra space around the subject. Since I shoot RAW exclusively, I can then re-crop the photo if I want to use it for a different purpose. That said, many of the photos I take are family snapshots and reminders of events, and the aspect ratio for them is of little consequence.

Thank you. I also find myself recropping frequently. What looked good to my eye initially sometimes changes.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

fetzler wrote:

I think that aspect ratio is unimportant. The cropping should fit the image. This is what you did in your excellent photo. The only exception to this is for certain publications that may require a specific aspect ratio.

I always shoot RAW in the native aspect ratio an then crop accordingly in post.

Pretty much my thoughts. I have never submitted any images for publication so not sure how I would approach that.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

PaulBrit wrote:

One of the benefits of a digital world is the ability to compose the shot to suit the image. As you have done on what is a superb photograph of this fantastic bird.

Framing the print is another matter using traditional frames, but perhaps a canvas print is the answer. Can they be framed easily?

I am going to contact Bay Photo about a custom canvas print. If I do print, it is usually canvas or acrylic.

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

bajadreamer wrote:

I am going to contact Bay Photo about a custom canvas print. If I do print, it is usually canvas or acrylic.

They seem like a good Californian business!

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Linda From Maine wrote:

Highly effective result, I'd say! br br Coming fr... (show quote)

Making sure the composition is within the camera's frame first and then worry about the aspect ratio. For most shooting, the 4/3rds (645) ratio will require the least amount of cropping for most standard print sizes. But if you have the image and it requires a different print size (like the OP's shot), so be it! It is the shot that counts, not the print ratio.