Figuring out your print sizes

So what print size will I be able to print without loosing any of the image?

The question is almost daily.

Or “Why is it when I get a 8×10, 11×14 or 16×20 print made of my digital file I have some of the image cut off”?

When you print at discount or at drug store labs you are lucky to find anyone to help so asking a question like why is my print ruined is impossible.

When my customers come in to get professional printing I always check their images before printing and let them know if there is a problem with the image file.

The answer to print sizes

A digital camera sensor is NOT the same proportions as the print sizes mentioned above.

Why are those print sizes so popular?

According to history the sizes that we have come to know as normal where used by photographers that shot 645 medium format.

These sizes fit this format perfectly.  35mm Film and most sensors in digital cameras are proportioned to 4×6, 8×12, 11×16, 12×18, 16×24. Only by printing these sizes will give you the full image file without cropping any of your image.

Cropping can be a good thing if you plan for it. It can allow you to get closer to the subject and eliminate “extra” parts of the picture.  For some pictures it is a killer, ruining it. 

Imagine a picture of a large family and the people are from one edge of the image to the other.  Then the client asks for a 16×20.  Well you now have to choose who in the family that you are going to cut out. Or you will have to do a lot of editing to add sky or foreground to the image.

Print size & cropping

So what should you do with print sizes?

When shooting images imagine that you have crop lines in your viewfinder. Or do like many did in years past and draw the crop lines in – if you so dare or are crazy enough to try.  Then leave space around your images for the cropping to the common sizes. 

If you want to do something artistic like shooting a image to print to 24″x8″ make sure that you let your client know first. That way they won’t try and order a 8×10 from that image. Or maybe do one that is more artistic in posing then do some that will fit the common format sizes.

If you do mess up and crop too tight for the print size, add some space using Photoshop. Unsure of how to add space ask when ordering and I will help you with it.

Full service photo lab, quality printing in Lethbridge