Image sizes and cropping
Discussion
After a bit of direction really. I don't often crop my pictures, but when I do I'm never sure what aspect ratio to maintain, and how it is 'seen'. What is the general consensus? If its a series of images then I'd imagine most people would expect all of them to be the same size so would you scale it back up to original size?
Is it convention to keep as many images as possible with the same size?
Is it convention to keep as many images as possible with the same size?
Scale it up?
Usually for anything web 1000px or perhaps 1200px on its longest edge, whatever that edge is, though I mostly limit portrait orientation pics to 900.
I crop whatever suits the image, but mostly stick to about 4:3, 16:9 or square.
(panoramics excluded).
eg a 7d shot is 5500x3500. I may crop this to 4000x2000 or something but I then downsize it to 1200x900 (or whatever keeps the aspect ratio).
Usually for anything web 1000px or perhaps 1200px on its longest edge, whatever that edge is, though I mostly limit portrait orientation pics to 900.
I crop whatever suits the image, but mostly stick to about 4:3, 16:9 or square.
(panoramics excluded).
eg a 7d shot is 5500x3500. I may crop this to 4000x2000 or something but I then downsize it to 1200x900 (or whatever keeps the aspect ratio).
RobDickinson said:
Scale it up?
Usually for anything web 1000px or perhaps 1200px on its longest edge, whatever that edge is, though I mostly limit portrait orientation pics to 900.
I crop whatever suits the image, but mostly stick to about 4:3, 16:9 or square.
(panoramics excluded).
eg a 7d shot is 5500x3500. I may crop this to 4000x2000 or something but I then downsize it to 1200x900 (or whatever keeps the aspect ratio).
And how do you personally do it? Free transform or by specifying the size you want first and then adjusting the framing to match?Usually for anything web 1000px or perhaps 1200px on its longest edge, whatever that edge is, though I mostly limit portrait orientation pics to 900.
I crop whatever suits the image, but mostly stick to about 4:3, 16:9 or square.
(panoramics excluded).
eg a 7d shot is 5500x3500. I may crop this to 4000x2000 or something but I then downsize it to 1200x900 (or whatever keeps the aspect ratio).
RobDickinson said:
Scale it up?
Usually for anything web 1000px or perhaps 1200px on its longest edge, whatever that edge is, though I mostly limit portrait orientation pics to 900.
I crop whatever suits the image, but mostly stick to about 4:3, 16:9 or square.
(panoramics excluded).
eg a 7d shot is 5500x3500. I may crop this to 4000x2000 or something but I then downsize it to 1200x900 (or whatever keeps the aspect ratio).
Ok been playing about with this a little over the past few days. Why is 1000 or 12000 pixels chosen? Is it because pages will render correctly in most screens at that size and also it compacts the file size so it will load quicker?Usually for anything web 1000px or perhaps 1200px on its longest edge, whatever that edge is, though I mostly limit portrait orientation pics to 900.
I crop whatever suits the image, but mostly stick to about 4:3, 16:9 or square.
(panoramics excluded).
eg a 7d shot is 5500x3500. I may crop this to 4000x2000 or something but I then downsize it to 1200x900 (or whatever keeps the aspect ratio).
Seany88 said:
RobDickinson said:
Scale it up?
Usually for anything web 1000px or perhaps 1200px on its longest edge, whatever that edge is, though I mostly limit portrait orientation pics to 900.
I crop whatever suits the image, but mostly stick to about 4:3, 16:9 or square.
(panoramics excluded).
eg a 7d shot is 5500x3500. I may crop this to 4000x2000 or something but I then downsize it to 1200x900 (or whatever keeps the aspect ratio).
Ok been playing about with this a little over the past few days. Why is 1000 or 12000 pixels chosen? Is it because pages will render correctly in most screens at that size and also it compacts the file size so it will load quicker?Usually for anything web 1000px or perhaps 1200px on its longest edge, whatever that edge is, though I mostly limit portrait orientation pics to 900.
I crop whatever suits the image, but mostly stick to about 4:3, 16:9 or square.
(panoramics excluded).
eg a 7d shot is 5500x3500. I may crop this to 4000x2000 or something but I then downsize it to 1200x900 (or whatever keeps the aspect ratio).
...I'd say you have a few factors to consider when sizing images for the web:
- Usability : Most images on PH are scaled (by the forum) to 750px so that they are easily viewable on a range of screens. I'd say 1000px is probably the limit for this.
- Filesize : If you are posting the images to your own site (or embeding them into a forum thread) then most people won't appreciate having to download a 2MB image - especially if they are on some sort of wireless-data-limited-deal-thingy. Its another reason to keep your images smaller and to compress them as much as possible (while retaining the quality you want). I'd try to keep the images to 100-200KB.
- Security : If you want to protect your images as much as possible then posting lower resolution, compressed images will help with this. As others have often said, the only real way to protect your images is not to put then online at all - but putting that to one side, I've always favoured using smaller, compressed and subtly watermarked images over larger heavily watermarked options.
You have to balance these factors with how you image looks of course. Some images, such as landscapes, often lose some of their impact if they are seen as small images. Imo it's worth keeping some of those points in mind.
Hope this helps.
Seany88 said:
Both!
Ok so I get the web side of things, now what about print wise? A recently did a track day and the files are only 800kb in size...but he says its good enough for canvas size prints. How is that possible?
What are the pixel dimesnsions? And why is it only 800Kb?Ok so I get the web side of things, now what about print wise? A recently did a track day and the files are only 800kb in size...but he says its good enough for canvas size prints. How is that possible?
You can have canvas in any size but I presume you mean 30" x 20"?
Simpo Two said:
What are the pixel dimesnsions? And why is it only 800Kb?
You can have canvas in any size but I presume you mean 30" x 20"?
Dimensions are 2464 x 1632. All the ones he gave me were 800kb and I think it was £20 for the CD!?!You can have canvas in any size but I presume you mean 30" x 20"?
He didn't specify the canvas size he was referring to (and I've not actually ever owned a canvas yet) but I assume so? Do you think it'll look ok?
You've got just about enough pixels to stretch over 30"x20" (82dpi) but at only 800Kb I'd be concerned that you might see compression artefacts (though the canvas texture could help mask them). Seems like you get the mashed one for free, and if you want a decent one it's £20. But by saying it will be good enough for a 30x20, he's rather contradicting himself.
Simpo Two said:
You've got just about enough pixels to stretch over 30"x20" (82dpi) but at only 800Kb I'd be concerned that you might see compression artefacts (though the canvas texture could help mask them). Seems like you get the mashed one for free, and if you want a decent one it's £20. But by saying it will be good enough for a 30x20, he's rather contradicting himself.
No you misunderstand me Simpo, I paid the £20 for a set of 800kb pictures! 
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