Cropping
This discusses two types of cropping situations,
Custom Cropping and Forced Cropping.
Custom Cropping is when we crop the image to make it more pleasing to the eye. This might happen
for example, in order to bring the participant closer within the frame, or to move them closer
or farther from the center. All images are custom cropped (if necessary) free of charge prior to printing. If you have a special request regarding how you would like a particular image cropped please let us know. If not, just leave it to us.
Here is an example of a before and after custom cropped image
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image was shot a little loose to allow for cropping
later. In these cases we take it upon ourselves to
crop the image to it's visual best prior to
printing. If you have a special cropping request when
ordering feel free to let us know. |
The
final image after custom cropping. |
Forced Cropping occurs when printing to a paper size that is a different aspect ratio then the image itself.
This happens on all 8x10 and 11x14 sized prints. This is because the aspect ratio of the images coming from our cameras are different then the aspect ratio of 8x10
or 11x14 sized paper. The closest aspect ratio from our cameras to an 8x10 sized print is a 8x12 sized
print. The closest to 11x14 is 11x17. So, by ordering an 8x10
or 11x14 some of the image will be cropped out (missing) from the
proof image you viewed online or purchased at our booth. In some cases it's ok, as there may be a lot of room on the top or bottom that can afford to be lost, such as a lot of extra sky or
grass, much like the example image above. Other times however (in the case when the image was shot close to begin with) we may have to end up loosing a critical part of the picture.
For example, here's an image of a baseball player that was shot vertically from head to toe with very little ground or sky included. By ordering an 8x10 of that image the
player's left foot will not appear in the final print. But, if an 8x12
is ordered, the entire image is printed.
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4x6, *5x7, 8x12, 11x17, 13x19
Aspect Ratios
Here
is a scaled down version of a vertical shot that comes off the
camera as an 8x12 aspect ratio.
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8x10, 11x14
Aspect Ratios
This
is the same photo, the white lines show where it would need to
be cropped for an 8x10. You can see that in order to keep
the ball completely in the picture, the players left foot had to be cropped
out. We could keep both feet in this picture, but we would
loose the ball being thrown. This
is why we like to shoot a little loose if possible, like the
first example above.
In a case like this, selecting a
print size from the other available aspect ratios would keep
from loosing any of the image.
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The reason someone would choose an 8x10
over an 8x12 size, or an 11x14 over a 11x17 size is because
picture frames are more readily available in these
sizes. We try to shoot to allow for either size, but
there are times when the larger size is necessary to keep
everything in frame. If you have a question about
this prior to ordering, send us a quick email. Otherwise
we will contact you prior to printing if we feel the larger
size is necessary.
* The 5x7 size is effected by forced cropping,
but not as much as the other sizes listed. It falls somewhere
in the middle of the examples above and usually there is no
problem.
