Cropping Digital Photos Into Shape

Did you know that in many cases digital photos are cropped by the time they reach paper? If you have never "cropped" your photos manually, you may not be aware that it is happening.

What is cropping?

Cropping is the process of trimming portions of the digital image so it fits in the shape of the paper. Let's say we have a 5" x 7" photo. The problem is, the frame we want to display is 4" x 6". One of our choices is to take scissors and carefully trim away the least important edges of the photo until it fits into the 4" x 6" frame. What we have accomplished is "cropping".

In the world of digital photography, cropping is performed with software. When the photo is comprised of bits of data, there is no need to crop for size alone-the software and printing process can stretch the image to fit. We do, however, have to crop digital images to fit the paper's shape.

A more detailed look

Let's look at an example. My Canon camera has a sensor size of 1536 x 2048 pixels. Dividing these numbers by the highest common denominator of 512, we get an image shape of 3 x 4.

How many print sizes do you think fit this shape? Not many. If we want 4" x 6" prints, the shape of the 3 x 4 digital image will not fit. It is possible to stretch the image into the 4 x 6 shape using software, but this will distort the image, which we don't want.

Our only option is to crop the 3 x 4 image into the 4 x 6 shape. If you are thinking, "I never had to crop my images and they always looked fine," then chances are the cropping was done for you automatically. Who would do such a thing behind your back?

Don't be alarmed, cropping was always done on our behalf, even with film photos. When we drop off our digital photos at a lab to have them developed, or insert them into our printer, the images are loaded into the computer system and are automatically cropped. How does the computer know which sections are OK to crop and which ones are not? It doesn't. When the decision is left to the machine, it will trim an equal amount from two edges.

Have you ever received a photo from the lab and something important near the edge was cut off, but when you saw it on the computer screen it was there? That is a result of automated cropping.

Do your own cropping for maximum control

Under most circumstances automatic cropping produces good results with our snapshots. In cases where we want to control precisely where the image is trimmed, we need to take the cropping under our own control.

Cropping can be accomplished in several places such as your photo editing or printing software, online developing services, or the kiosk machine available at many local labs. I find that the best place to crop your photos is on your own computer using the software you are most familiar with. If you have never used this feature of your photo editing software, I urge you to learn how to use it. The other two cropping methods are typically more time consuming. You may also be rushed during the delicate cropping procedure if a line forms behind you at a kiosk machine.

Charles Kerekes is an amateur photographer and maintains the Flying Sam Digital Photo Guide (FlyingSamPhoto.com) web site to help others find fun and unique digital photo finishing products and services.

---

Digital Cameras Demystified

Demystifying Digital Camera JargonWant to buy a digital camera but... Read More

Extreme Digital Photography: Beyond Point-and-shoot

When my old Olympus digital camera got broke while caving... Read More

Is Film Better than Digital for Weddings?

As a professional wedding photographer I get this question asked... Read More

Removing Spot Scratches in Your Treasured Photos ? 5 Minute Digital Fix

Probably one of the most common problems you will be... Read More

10 Things You Can Do to Protect Your Photographs from Infringement

While it would be nice to live in a house... Read More

Photography - Rules of Composition

Composition is defined as the combining of distinct parts or... Read More

Diffusion & Softening of Digital Photography Images

Like many people who've made the switch from film cameras... Read More

Using Film Speed Effectively (Black & White Film Thoughts)

It's hard to find sometimes but it's making a resurgence,... Read More

Pinhole Photography: Right Back to Basics

Why Pinhole Photography?It's fun. It's creative. It's educative about the... Read More

Top of the Line Digital Cameras

If you think that digital cameras are for snapshots only,... Read More

Everybody is Fixing Their House or Apartment Up These Days. Use That Digital Camera to Capture

That's right, you go through all the trouble of making... Read More

The Truth About Pixels - Part I: Digital Cameras

Most digital cameras today boast of greater resolution and picture... Read More

Removing Cracks and Creases when Restoring Old Photos ? 5 Minute Digital Fix

A common problem with old photos is that they often... Read More

Digital Camera Memory Cards

A digital camera accessory you should purchase is a spare... Read More

How Can I Preserve My Lifetime of Memories in Photographs?

Like most folks you have probably have organized and sorted... Read More

Photography 101 Part 2

Basic CompositionNow that you are beginning to understand how your... Read More

Picture Framing for Photographers - Part 1

Imagine being able to frame all your own photographs just... Read More

How to Buy a Digital Camera

Are you buying your first digital camera? Well, you must... Read More

How to Buy the Right Digital Camera

When buying a digital camera there are many things you... Read More

Have You Read Your Digital Camera Manual?

Have you read the manual that came with your digital... Read More

Photography Business: Taking Baby Photos - for Professionals & Families

Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph.... Read More

Digital Camera Disc Formats

As it is a fact that digital cameras are comprised... Read More

Photography 101 Part 1

Photography 101 Part One Equipment: camera, meter, flash, tripod This... Read More

Studio Photography and Digital Backgrounds

The article given here was written for Adobe Photoshop 5,6,7,CS,... Read More

How to Create a Family History Video Memoir with Photos and Interviews of Your Loved Ones

Here are examples of two basic videos you can create... Read More

Becoming A Digital Artist On A Budget

So, you want to become a digital artist but paying... Read More

Digital RAW Workflow for Beginners

Having an efficient work flow is essential for photographers. In... Read More

Photography Jobs: Do You Have a Future in Photography?

There is a wide world of photography. It touches each... Read More

Fuji Digital Cameras

Fuji digital cameras entered the market in the late 90's.... Read More

Digital Camera Reviews and Ratings De-Mystify the Choices

Shopping for a new digital camera can be quite frustrating... Read More

Memories That Get Lost

How many people have pictures in a shoe box? In... Read More

Photo Equipment Lists

You arrive at your photo shoot excited about the images... Read More

Take Spectacular Nighttime Photos with Your Digital Camera - Part II

Night photos can take on a somewhat magical quality you... Read More