Aspect ratio that you use?

[BillSears]

I've been doing a lot of cropping of photos recently to print them out in 4X6 for my albums. Sometimes I've got a good shot that turns into a mediocre shot once I crop it to 4X6.

For those of you who have cameras that let you shoot in 4X6 do you just keep your aspect ratio there or do you shoot a picture expecting to crop off a lot of it?

For instance I liked the first one here much better then the cropped one.

 

[Gdad]

My camera has a native 4x6 aspect ratio. I rarely print 4x6 prints though- if something is good enough to print or for prints I sell I have to remember to try to leave some real estate in the frame for cropping (from say 8x12 to 8x10) which can be a problem. I tend to compose tight pictures and often kick myself later when I have to compromise on a crop to standard size print.

 

[MICKEY88]

it is best to ALWAYS compose a little on the wide side, so that you do have room for cropping when printing various sizes....it takes a while to get in the habit, but once you do it makes things so much easier..

 

[BillSears]

Thanks,

It looks like the best solution is to get a wider lense camera with higher megapixels. Right now I'm using an old Canon Powershot A70 wich is a 35 mm/3.1 megapixels, I'm going to be upgrading to a Panasonic TZ5 which is 28 mm and 9.1 megapixels. Hopefully that will give me some breathing room on those closer pictures.

 

[handicap18]

PnS camera's have a 4:3 aspect ratio so making 4x6 prints require cropping.

My camera is the 3:2 aspect ratio (most dSLR's are) and keep it at that for 98% of my images. Only when I need to make portrait enlargements (5x7, 8x10, 11x14) do I crop my images. I always shoot wider for those shots.

 

[BillSears]

That does make sense. I was wondering why most photos are taken at 4:3 when the prints are 4X6.

The TZ5 I'm looking at does allow me to switch ratios from 4:3 to 3:2 or to 16:9. That and cropping 200+ pictures yesterday made me think I should just shoot in 3:2 with the new camera.

 

[ukcatfan]

That does make sense. I was wondering why most photos are taken at 4:3 when the prints are 4X6.

The TZ5 I'm looking at does allow me to switch ratios from 4:3 to 3:2 or to 16:9. That and cropping 200+ pictures yesterday made me think I should just shoot in 3:2 with the new camera.

Have you thought about printing in your native 4:3? Most of the major printing places offer it if you know what you are looking for or what to ask.

 

[handicap18]

Have you thought about printing in your native 4:3? Most of the major printing places offer it if you know what you are looking for or what to ask.

Good point Kevin. A lot of places offer 6x8" and 9x12" prints. I've seen a lot of those size frame sizes at Michael's and Ritz Camera.

 

[Experiment_626]

I hate cropping most of my photos to fit something like an 8x10, personally. Just wrecks the composition in many cases -- or I have to resort to silliness such as digitally extending the sky.

SSB

 

[MICKEY88]

I hate cropping most of my photos to fit something like an 8x10, personally. Just wrecks the composition in many cases -- or I have to resort to silliness such as digitally extending the sky.

SSB

a simple black border can work wonders, and is easier than extending the sky

 

[seashoreCM]

You could put tape over the edges of the (panel) viewfinder to help frame and compose your shots knowing you will have to crop.

But if you want to make 8x10 prints as well as 4x6 prints, those are different aspect ratios so you will not escape havig to crop.

Digital camera hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/digicam.htm

 

[Groucho]

I think that a lot of it is a matter of taste. I prefer the "wider" and "taller" shots, but certainly not all will agree... but I think it gives you a more interesting aspect ratio for artistic effects. This is one of the reasons why movies are shot in various widescreen ratios - 2.35:1 for the real epics, 1.85:1 for more pedestrian comedies, etc. (Originally it was to differentiate films from that upstart new 4:3 medium, television!)

The TZ5 I'm looking at does allow me to switch ratios from 4:3 to 3:2 or to 16:9. That and cropping 200+ pictures yesterday made me think I should just shoot in 3:2 with the new camera.

I wouldn't do that... the sensor is a native 4:3 aspect ratio, why let the camera choose what information to throw away? I'd stick with shooting 4:3 and you can crop it yourself later.

 

[Shan-man]

It would not work for all images, but for the booster engines you could disproportionately scale to 4x6 and keep your composition without having to resort to cloning in new sides to fit the ratio you need. Or crop a little and disproportionately scale the rest.