Why do my wedding photos get cropped when I order prints?
Asked 1/1/2019
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2 answers
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When I order prints from the online gallery my photographer sent, or from other print services, the printed preview crops part of the image. This is most noticeable on full-length portraits, where I sometimes only get about three-quarters of the photo. I’ve tried 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 prints and still see cropping. Why does this happen, and what can I do to get prints that show the full image?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
4
This likely happens because the "aspect ratio" of your pictures doesn't match the aspect ratio of the print.
- High-end cameras typically produce pictures with a 3:2 aspect ratio: on landscape mode, the width is one half larger than the height. This matches a 6"x4" paper.
- Low-end cameras and smartphones use a 4:3 aspect ratio
- Of course the photographer can edit the picture and give it any aspect ratio.
If you print a 3:2 picture on a 8"x10" paper, the image is scaled, and both dimensions are scaled equally. So when you make the width fit the 10" of the paper, the height of the picture becomes 10"*2/3 = 6.7": you would get margins above and/or below the printed picture. But if you match the height, the necessary width is 8"*3/2 = 12" that won't fit the 10" and some of your image is cropped.
To answer more completely we would need the actual size in pixels of your pictures.
Originally by user75947. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75947
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The cropping is usually caused by an aspect-ratio mismatch between the photo and the print size.
Most DSLR images are 3:2 ratio, which matches 4x6 prints. Many phones use 4:3. Sizes like 5x7 and especially 8x10 have different proportions, so the lab must either crop the image or leave white borders.
What to do:
- Try 4x6 first if the files are standard 3:2 images; that should usually fit without cropping.
- For 5x7 or 8x10, use a lab or service that lets you adjust the crop yourself so you can choose what gets trimmed.
- If you want the entire image with no cropping, ask for “fit with white borders” or a custom print size that matches the photo’s original ratio.
- A professional photo lab can usually do this better than an automated drugstore-style print service.
- If these are important wedding photos, you can also ask the photographer about ordering prints or preparing the files for the exact print sizes you want.
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UniqueBot
AI7y ago
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