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12/15/2009 07:52:41 AM · #1 |
as the title really ... what ratio do you crop portraits to for printing for a client ... how much "white" space do you leave?
cheers
Robert |
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12/15/2009 10:32:31 PM · #2 |
I keep the aspect ration then tell them if they want a specific crop for ease or framing, then to let me know. If they do, I run it through Lightroom to a 5x7, 8x10 etc, but by default my pics are 8x12, 12x18 aspect ratio because it just looks better.
8x10s look far too square to me, but I haven't met a lot of clients who knew of 8x12s and the awesomeness they bring.
I should explain further- I have a package that gives them 3 8x12s in the asking price. If they really want 8x10s i can do that, but I show them an 8x12 print, and an 8x10 print (or email them something to the effect) and they invariably choose the 8x12. Also, on my website when they order prints, they have the option of picking a 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 8x12 and up from there. As I mentioned, I do this in LR and it takes about 3 seconds so no big deal if they want a certain aspect ratio/crop or not. |
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12/15/2009 10:52:18 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by Tez:
8x10s look far too square to me, but I haven't met a lot of clients who knew of 8x12s and the awesomeness they bring. |
I don't have clients or a studio, but I've taken portraits of my parents entire family and girlfriend and looking through the cropped images, 3:2 (or is it 2:3 if you're talking about portraits?) has always worked best for me.
8x10 is considered a "professionals' ratio" because of medium and large format film sizes, those cameras now being mostly used for landscapes that really do look good in that ratio... at least that's what Ken Rockwell says, so it must be true.
If you look at the actual shape of the head in simple portrait-oriented headshots, I think you'll find it fits a 3:2 (1.5:1) ratio image well. Sometimes a 5:7 (1.4:1) works better if it's really just from the neck up. Once you get to 4:3 (1.33:1), it starts getting kind of square-y with a lot of useless space, unless you're cropping above the chin and below the hairline for a more "intense" look. Check through the images here and see what you like. It's more often what the photographer feels is best that actually works best in the end, because it ties in with your style.
Message edited by author 2009-12-15 22:54:41. |
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12/15/2009 11:17:53 PM · #4 |
| Where do you find bulk 8x12 picture frames? Actually, I'd need bulk 14x16 (to allow for 2inch matting). |
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12/16/2009 01:21:09 AM · #5 |
This is a good question. And I've always wondered why there's a "11x14" which doesn't seem to be a multiple of anything useful at all! I do wonder about framing for the native format 8x12 prints as well.
I recently took portraits of everyone who attended a Christmas party. I cropped one version for everyone at 5x7 (for printing at kiosks if they wished), printed one copy at 5x7 for everyone, then also provided a larger crop (8x10, 8x12, or that weird 11x14) for everyone based on which fit the photograph best.
But I think I'd agree that as long as it fits the natural framing of the photograph, crops should remain at the native format and the client can then decide if they want alternate crops? But I don't deal with clients... |
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12/16/2009 05:44:35 AM · #6 |
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12/16/2009 06:16:38 AM · #7 |
| 8x10's seem very popular and I think it's bacause people know that ratio and frames are easy to find. When I shot portraits for a ball recently I tried to over frame everything in camera so I could crop as the customer wanted in Lightroom easily. I have only had one order in 8x10 where I had to crop a bit of the bottom of a dress out. One thing nice about cropping in LR is if you use a vignette it compensates when you crop. |
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12/16/2009 07:15:58 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by Melethia:
This is a good question. And I've always wondered why there's a "11x14" which doesn't seem to be a multiple of anything useful at all! |
An 11x14 print mats nicely to 12x15 (5:4), but I doubt that's the reason. I haven't seen a 12x15 inch frame. A 9x12 (4:3) print mats nicely to an 11x14 frame, but I've never seen 9x12 prints, and I see more 11x14 prints than 11x14 frames. So I'm kind of confused too. |
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12/16/2009 08:54:23 AM · #9 |
I usually crop to 8x10 since I do alot of 16x20 prints for people, but starting next year I will most likely crop 8x12 since my hubby will be making photo frames for me to sell along with the photos. 8x12's are harder to find and most people wanna stick with "simple" ya know.
So... I always crop what I show my clients down to 8x10 but leave the originals uncropped |
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12/16/2009 09:02:58 AM · #10 |
8x10 and 5x7 since those are the types you can find the standard frames at wallmart.
I personally like 8x12 and 12x18
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12/16/2009 10:32:22 AM · #11 |
| I crop everything to 16x20... |
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12/16/2009 11:21:34 AM · #12 |
| I guess the simple answer would be that I crop portraits to meet the client's request. This has always been a bit of a challenge for me because I learned old school and had "crop in the camera" pounded into my head. Unfortunately this means I often don't leave enough width for an 8x10 or 11x14 portrait crop. I have learned to do online proofing with a 5x7 crop since it's between the 4x6 and 8x10 ratios and won't cause such a shock when the 4x6 ratio is chopped to meet an 8x10 requirement. |
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12/16/2009 03:04:16 PM · #13 |
8x10s are a relic left over from the 4x5 film cameras- you make an enlargement and you're there at 8x10. For some reason, this has stuck around even though 35mm cameras providing a wider native image (8x12 or 6x4).
I find most of my frames at Amazon, or at Micheal's when they have a sale. I got a 2 inch wide black 8x12 frame for $8. I actually got 4 of them :) And hey, it's tax deductible!
And a 16x20 is the same as an 8x10 with regards to aspect ratio.
With regards to my 8x12s- if I mat them, I put them in a 12x16 frame which provides a 2 inch mat on every side and these are pretty easy to find in mainstream outlets. A 14x16 mat wouldn't make sense- one side would have a 3 inch mat and another would have a 2 inch mat and I'm not sure why you would want to do that, or have the expense of a custom made frame to fit an obscure mat. |
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12/16/2009 03:21:59 PM · #14 |
So if 4x6 or 8x12 is the new standard, are you nudging people towards 6x9 as your intermediate size?
This would all make my life easier as I could continue to crop in camera. But, every client I have encountered seems to think of the world in the traditional print sizes and getting them to move just isn't that easy. |
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12/16/2009 03:29:12 PM · #15 |
no because I am yet to see a frame for a 6x9. I sell prints at 12x18 though which is the same thing, and i find frames for that, or I buy an 18x24 and get a 3 inch mat.
Easy.
And getting clients to move I think is easy if you stick 2 pictures in front of them- one 8x12 and one 8x10 of the same scene. The results should speak for itself, and if they don't, get metallic paper ;)
However, people always get 4x6s to stick in cards and envelopes and 5x7s still sell well but I don't offer anything smaller than 8x12 for my landscape prints.
Also, when it comes to the 8x12 discussion, it helps to know where frames can be sourced to tell the clients- Amazon is a good place and you'll pay like $14 for an 8x12 black frame of good quality, or Micheal's are great for frames as they have a wide selection for a decent price. You probably won't find 8x12s in Walmart... but I just wouldn't get a frame from Walmart for a picture i gave the slightest crap about.
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12/18/2009 03:56:23 AM · #16 |
cropping all depends on the client and what they want.
if i'm shooting a series of corporate headshots, i shoot loose enough to get a cookie-cutter crop where all the heads are the same size and in the same place, regardless of the variety of subjects i shoot.
otherwise, i generally compose with enough room that will allow for any crop. i typically sell packages that include a pretty wide selection of sizes. one trick i've learned is to process an image without sizing it, then submit only that image to the lab and let their software handle sizing it (my lab's online interface lets me move crops around, if necessary). this saves me a ton of time by not processing multiple sizes of the same image, not having to upload multiple images, not having to keep all that straight. one file, multiple prints of various sizes. and, believe me, they have much, much better software than we do. |
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