What They Don't Tell You About Print Sizing!

I'll spare you on more complex offshoot topics such as camera sensor size, image aspect ratios and the nitty gritty of frame sizing, so I'm designing this blog to be a simple-as-possible depiction of what your image looks like versus how it crops down if you choose standard print sizing versus other sizing more adequate to keeping all the image's details intact. Most images do end up cropping fine to popular print sizes, but some may not. It depends on composition. In cases where an awkward crop may result, alternate sizing should be considered for best quality on the final product.

Here's something interesting, and who knows why, but some of the most popular print and frame sizes (especially 8x10 and 11x14) may not best suit some compositions, particularly landscapes and close ups where information can be lost on the short sides after cropping. The main reason these crops can be a little whack is because what comes out of the camera is slightly more rectangular than the popular dimensions. Capturing more information (horizontally, especially) is more artistic, cinematic. I suppose that's why the camera is designed to shoot images wider.

This one is pretty dramatic; she made a point of loving that little heart in the window. In order to include everything in an 8x10 or 11x14, their feet need to get cropped, and that doesn't look professional.

As you can see, these crop sizes tend to be too square a proportion for the full ensemble of the original image.

More horizontal just feels more dynamic.

Crop their feet or her back? I don't like this debate!

Take note of the following sizes, which will not crop anything at all from the original dimension of an image. These sizes keep everything intact:

4x6, 8x12, 12x18, 16x24

Some may be skeptic of the middle two sizes and figure that frames cannot easily be found for them. On the contrary, frames of any size can be found at good frame shops. Michael's has a fairly good variety, and a simple Amazon search for the size you need is bound to turn up even more variety on any size.

OR, if you want to wipe away all sorts of frame availability worry, you can consider a canvas gallery wrap. No frame needed! Ready to hang right out of the box, and it looks great on the wall. No glass reflections even. I also offer panoramic options on gallery wraps, and those are super cool if you've got a great landscape begging for a sprawling panorama. Panoramic prints are notoriously difficult to handle and to frame, so I don't even recommend them. Gallery wraps are the way to go.

If you're unsure how an image will crop when ordering prints or gallery wraps from viewing galleries, please inquire! I can even send you a proof of the crop before ordering.

Happy wall decorating!