craigster266
newbie
Reged: 10/03/2008
Posts: 3
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Hi,
I recently sign up for Photobox to have some images printed off. Unfortunately, as I'm sure has happened to many a novice, some of them came back with the top of the image cropped off. Obviously there is a problem with some of the image sizes. So, I've been trying to use the print facility in Lightroom to preview how the images will look when printed, and adjusting the size of the images so that it will print correctly. But, I'm running into to problems. For example, one of the images is a picture of three people I took at a wedding. The image is 1200 x 1098 pixels. It seems that if I were to print it in 4 x 6, I 'd either lose the tops of their heads (as happened when the prints came back from Photobox), or if I don't select the 'zoom to fill' option be left with large white borders down either side of the print. I guess my question therefore is what are my options? Can I resize the image? Or would it make any difference if I chose an other print size? Help!
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ermintrude
Hinkypuff
Reged: 30/06/2003
Posts: 12524
Loc: London, UK
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Quote:
Hi,
I recently sign up for Photobox to have some images printed off. Unfortunately, as I'm sure has happened to many a novice, some of them came back with the top of the image cropped off. Obviously there is a problem with some of the image sizes. So, I've been trying to use the print facility in Lightroom to preview how the images will look when printed, and adjusting the size of the images so that it will print correctly. But, I'm running into to problems. For example, one of the images is a picture of three people I took at a wedding. The image is 1200 x 1098 pixels. It seems that if I were to print it in 4 x 6, I 'd either lose the tops of their heads (as happened when the prints came back from Photobox), or if I don't select the 'zoom to fill' option be left with large white borders down either side of the print. I guess my question therefore is what are my options? Can I resize the image? Or would it make any difference if I chose an other print size? Help!
You need to select the correct size prints. Photobox offer 6”x4”, 6”x4½” and 5”x3¾“. You need 6x4.5.
EDIT: Sorry Ive just noticed you say the image is 1200 x 1098 . I take it you have cropped this photo since it was shot? Do you have the original? Digital pictures are often 6x4.5 but if you make a custom size like this you are ultimately going to have to trim the edges yourself OR go back to the original and crop/resize to a print size that the company offers.
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Edited by ermintrude (07/08/2008 11:22)
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Norman
Reged: 23/09/2004
Posts: 1625
Loc: West London, UK
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Or crop in Lightroom to 6X4 aspect ratio then export the images to a new set of files that you send to Photobox.
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Regards,
Norman
www.photobox.org.uk
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craigster266
newbie
Reged: 10/03/2008
Posts: 3
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Thanks, I've cropped the images again using the locked aspect ratio feature in Lightroom. I've also notice that Photobox allows you to select which part of the image you want to include should the whole image not fit on to the particular print size. Wish I'd notice this the first time!
One more question: if I wish to have cropped images printed is it best to crop them using the above method rather than just crop without regard to how this will fit on the print size, and then worry about getting the aspect ratio correct at the end? If that makes sense 
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john_g
Pooh-bah Hoo-ha
Reged: 09/05/2007
Posts: 2536
Loc: Surrey
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I don't really understand the question. You have three choices, but only two of them are sensible:
1. Crop your images according to your visual and aesthetic sense of what gives the best result and accept that, when printed, you'll have to trim the prints to get rid of the excess paper.
2. Crop using an aspect ratio that fits your chosen print size, even if this doesn't give the most pleasing image.
3. Crop the picture as in option 1, but then stretch the resulting image to fit a standard paper size, accepting that everything will appear unnaturally fat or thin.
I always go for option 1 unless I need to frame the picture in a standard mount. In that case I go for option 2.
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John
Who could suppose that angels move the stars, or be so superstitious as to suppose that because one cannot see one's soul at the end of a microscope, it does not exist?
R.D.Laing The Politics Of Experience
http://www.flickr.com/photos/john_gass
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LargeFormat
old hand
Reged: 24/10/2006
Posts: 1179
Loc: Buckinghamshire and Cumbria
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If you don't send a file with the correct aspect ratio for the print you want you need to use the SHRINK TO FIT facility in Photobox. This will result in some white space that you can trim off if you like.
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Norman
Reged: 23/09/2004
Posts: 1625
Loc: West London, UK
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Don't forget that cropping in Lightroom is non-destructive. i.e. your image file will not be cropped or re-sized, it just records the crop details for when you print. That's why I suggested exporting the images to send to Photobox. The exported images will have all your edits and crop applied.
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Regards,
Norman
www.photobox.org.uk
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craigster266
newbie
Reged: 10/03/2008
Posts: 3
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Quote:
I don't really understand the question. You have three choices, but only two of them are sensible:
1. Crop your images according to your visual and aesthetic sense of what gives the best result and accept that, when printed, you'll have to trim the prints to get rid of the excess paper.
2. Crop using an aspect ratio that fits your chosen print size, even if this doesn't give the most pleasing image.
3. Crop the picture as in option 1, but then stretch the resulting image to fit a standard paper size, accepting that everything will appear unnaturally fat or thin.
I always go for option 1 unless I need to frame the picture in a standard mount. In that case I go for option 2.
Yes John, this was the what I was trying to ask about. I was confused about cropping an image purely on aesthetic ground and how this tied in with getting it to fit on a standard print format. Thanks
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