Print Size preference?

[prince]

Hi,
I did my first sale and already faced a small hurdle. I did jump it but raised lot of questions..

The pet's photo I clicked had 3008x2000 dimensions. It was in portrait format. I made an 8x10 available. To my disgrace when I went to order the prints, realized that 8x10 was cropping almost half of the pet's photo. I didn't like it. The composition was too tight and did not leave any room to get even 75% of the dog. Instead I ordered an 8x12 for my client at no extra charge. Hopefully it will be fine with my client.

There might be others who shoot in similar dimensions. How do you manage that? What are thing I should think of? May be leave some room for cropping later on?

Also, is it ok if I offer only those sizes that don't require too much cropping like 4x6, 5x7, 8x12, 16x24, 20x30? 8x10 is way too common to ignore so I don't know

Help please.

Thanks,

[Jim Poor]

Going from 2x3 to 4x5 doesn't crop anywhere near half of the photo unless you also switched from portrait to landscape orientation.

Depending on the background, etc. You can crop and add canvass to fit your desired 4x5 ratio.

8x12 ordered without checking with the client? Generally a bad idea. They may have a specific use in mind, plus 8x10 frames are harder to find.

Offer whatever sizes you wish. There is a local photographer in my area that only offers square prints.

To avoid the issue in the future, shoot with a bit more room.

[candleman]

Originally Posted by prince

Also, is it ok if I offer only those sizes that don't require too much cropping like 4x6, 5x7, 8x12, 16x24, 20x30? 8x10 is way too common to ignore so I don't know
,

i only offer prints in one ratio (3:2)
4x6, 5x7, 8x12, 10x15,....etc etc

mainly to avoid issues like this.

IF i ever have a shot which looks horrible in that ratio i'll crop a copy and tell them i suggest this special size,. 8x10"... ultimatley its their decision.

that also means, i dont have to try explain crop ratio to every client when thay ask why they can have a certain photo in one size, but not the other.

if i were you i''d tell them I gave them a free upgrade to 8x12" , and try look like the good guy.

[Indigo November]

hmm, there's no way it should have cropped that much... Did it auto-rotate or something? If it was shot in portrait orientation and the printer rotated it, but still tried to print it as a portrait it would crop lots off.....
I suggest you look into why that happened (maybe try a diff. lab?) before deciding not to offer 8x10s.

Good luck!



ETA: hey, look on the bright side! At least you don't shoot with a camera that uses 4:3 ratio! My old camera (Sony) was like that. Just awful! Almost every size gets cropped. :\

[prince]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

Going from 2x3 to 4x5 doesn't crop anywhere near half of the photo unless you also switched from portrait to landscape orientation.

Depending on the background, etc. You can crop and add canvass to fit your desired 4x5 ratio.

8x12 ordered without checking with the client? Generally a bad idea. They may have a specific use in mind, plus 8x10 frames are harder to find.

Offer whatever sizes you wish. There is a local photographer in my area that only offers square prints.

To avoid the issue in the future, shoot with a bit more room.

Jim, 4x6 was perfect fit, 5x7 needed very little cropping, but 8x10 needed almost 25% cropping from bottom to fit. I know, it wasn't a good idea to order a different size without checking with the client first. Let's say I had lot of things going in my mind when I saw the email that order was placed . Excitement and nervousness of my first order. didn't want to be late with delivery Next time I will make sure to check with them. Also, I enabled the feature in my store where they can see the crop before ordering. Learned quite a few things.

Originally Posted by candleman

i only offer prints in one ratio (3:2)
4x6, 5x7, 8x12, 10x15,....etc etc

mainly to avoid issues like this.

IF i ever have a shot which looks horrible in that ratio i'll crop a copy and tell them i suggest this special size,. 8x10"... ultimatley its their decision.

that also means, i dont have to try explain crop ratio to every client when thay ask why they can have a certain photo in one size, but not the other.

if i were you i''d tell them I gave them a free upgrade to 8x12" , and try look like the good guy.

Where were you before I did the same thing. Told them "Due to cropping issues I upgraded your print size to 8x12 with no extra charge". If they come back complaining, they will surely get a free 8x10 copy.

Originally Posted by Indigo November

hmm, there's no way it should have cropped that much... Did it auto-rotate or something? If it was shot in portrait orientation and the printer rotated it, but still tried to print it as a portrait it would crop lots off.....
I suggest you look into why that happened (maybe try a diff. lab?) before deciding not to offer 8x10s.

Good luck!



ETA: hey, look on the bright side! At least you don't shoot with a camera that uses 4:3 ratio! My old camera (Sony) was like that. Just awful! Almost every size gets cropped. :\

Whoa!! Can't imagine the pain.. Feel better now Nothing was out of norm. I think my composition was too tight. I ordered from Mpix. I will add a note somewhere to say that some print sizes will need cropping.

I was looking for packaging options for 8x12 and I could hardly find anything.. mostly was for 8x10.. the next big size to fit 8x12 was 9x12 or larger.. So I decided to offer 8x10's but in A La Carte.. Packages will have 8x10. Hopefully that will work.

[Sterling]

It truly is one of the great modern marketing mysteries why it is so hard to find 8x12 frames. In 1970 sure. But in 2010? With all the advances in digital photography and the relative ease with which anyone can produce great looking prints, it is positively primitive to have to plan ahead so that you can chop off some of your print to fit those lousy 8x10 frames.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Sterling

It truly is one of the great modern marketing mysteries why it is so hard to find 8x12 frames. In 1970 sure. But in 2010? With all the advances in digital photography and the relative ease with which anyone can produce great looking prints, it is positively primitive to have to plan ahead so that you can chop off some of your print to fit those lousy 8x10 frames.

Working in photo-retail, I can tell you I too am baffled. I can get 4x6 frame, or a 12x18 frame (or larger), but NOT the 8x12. Theyre VERY hard to come by and we always have people looking for them.

[prince]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Theyre VERY hard to come by and we always have people looking for them.

That makes me feel better that people do come look for them. I can offer them without hesitating. May be if my customers struggle than I will offer them stretcher frames of that size

I finally decided to offer a wide range of choices in A La Carte

4x6
5x7
8x10
8x12
16x20
16x24
20x30

I don't think I will offer the highlighted sizes in my packages.. We'll see how it goes from here..

[OsmosisStudios]

If you dont offer the 5:4 ratio in your packages, youre going to get people asking for it anyway, especially 8x10. Just learn to shoot a bit looser and leave room to crop.

You're not cutting 25% of an image. You're cutting 1/6th. Its not as much as you might think and a lot of shots can probably handle it with little problem.

[prince]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Just learn to shoot a bit looser and leave room to crop.

I agree. This was the real problem of not leaving enough room for cropping.

Thanks for the tips.