What Aspect Ratio and Image Size to Deliver?

[cpforyou]

Canon Digital SLR Cameras will take pictures in a 3:2 aspect ratio.

Naturally, I would think that if you need to crop out the pictures, you would do it at a 3:2 aspect ratio as well.

I ran into a photographer who told me he always crop his pictures and deliver it to his client in a 4:3 aspect ratio, the same as P&S cameras. His claim is that it is "industry standard" and that it is easier for the customers because they are already used to printing 4:3 pictures through Costco, Walmart, etc.

So this leads me to wondering and wanting to know what aspect ratio most of you deliver your pictures in?

Also, if you are a photographer who provide high-resolution images, what does that mean to you?

For me, I downsize all my images down to 3504 x 2336 (8 megapixel), regardless if I'm shooting with a 1D Mark IIn, a Canon 50D, or my Canon 5D. I consider that to be "high-resolution" in today's standard still. If I have to crop, I also crop to 3:2 aspect ratio. That way, all of my images are consistent.

Any other photographers care to chime in?

[tracknut]

I deliver prints in whatever size customers order them, and I deliver jpegs in whatever crop looks best for the image (i.e. I don't try to make it 2:3 or any other aspect ratio). I tell my customers that my "large jpegs" are anywhere from 2000-2400 pixels on the long side, and that's the largest I deliver. I don't give anyone the full image out of the camera.

The key, IMO, is to make sure your customers know what they're ordering, so there aren't any surprises.

Dave

[cpforyou]

I deliver prints in whatever size customers order them, and I deliver jpegs in whatever crop looks best for the image (i.e. I don't try to make it 2:3 or any other aspect ratio). I tell my customers that my "large jpegs" are anywhere from 2000-2400 pixels on the long side, and that's the largest I deliver. I don't give anyone the full image out of the camera.

The key, IMO, is to make sure your customers know what they're ordering, so there aren't any surprises.

Dave

If that's the case, when they take those JPEGs and want to print a bunch of 4x6s, if your aspect is variable for each JPEG, that means they will have to crop all those pictures that are not 3:2.

Yes, the key is to make sure it is communicated. I make it already known that I deliver 8 megapixel images, so there is no surprise.

[tracknut]

Exactly. In my case, my jpeg sales are not for the customer to be able to make prints, they're for web sites, emailing around, background images, etc. If they want prints, they order prints from me.

Dave

[thebishopp]

I tend to use a 7:5 (5x7).

On an interesting side and historical note, my understanding of the whole 3:2 ratio is that it was the format chosen by Oskar Barnak. Some think he chose it because it has the closests porportions to the "golden rectangle".

Though for me, for some reason, I do not much like 4x6's and prefer the 5x7 (7:5 or closest to it).

[amfoto1]

I use a variety of crops, as the image dictates. When I'm generating thumbnails for image review, I'll usually use 2:3 and 4:5, but occasionally others such as 16:9 or whatever happens to look best. This is sort of a "recommended crop" at this point. I try to work with relatively standardized crops/sizes, to make matting and framing easier. Sometimes an image simply has to be custom cropped, matted and framed, but that just adds a lot of cost.

After the customer orders, I'll recrop as necessary in order to accomodate what they want.

I try to allow some room to crop images when shooting. I also make a point of cropping most images at least a little, before showing them to customers. Usually that helps avoid problems with orders, where impossible crops are requested (even though they can simply preview their order and see how it's going to crop!).

[RDKirk]

I also crop as the image dictates, and always have, even with film.

But something I did with film is much easier in digital. I can create a self-mat in Photoshop by expanding the canvas to fill out the format from my image cropping to the standard size. So I can give them an 8x10 with my custom 3x8 in the center surrounded by a thin line and a black mat.

[PhotosGuy]

His claim is that it is "industry standard"
&
I also crop as the image dictates, and always have, even with film. Me, too, unless I'm selling online which is a different animal.
Otherwise, for example a car image, I almost never crop to fit a frame. I crop the shot as it should be cropped to make the subject look it's best, & then use a mat to cover the "excess" space.