Selling Images, Size Question

Hello everyone, I have someone wanting to buy my photos and I'm in a bit of a tough hole because either it can't be done or I'm over thinking it.

I shoot with the Canon 5D Mark III if that's necessary to know.

Basically I have a few photos someone wants to purchase in 10x12, but notice that the photo company will crop it significantly, almost to the point of ruining the picture. Not quality wise, but composition wise.

8x12 however the photo looks perfect.

Am I supposed to tell the customer I can't do a 10x12 due to cropping? Is there a way to make it work as a 10x12 so the ENTIRE photo is in the frame without being cropped out?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Are you framing it as well? I would simply ask the customer. Give them a couple of choices- I can print this image as 8x12 and have it matted to a 11x14 frame, or print this image as a 10x15 and have it mounted in a 16x20 frame, etc.

If you already took the money and they are expecting a 10x12 image exactly, show them what is going to be lost with the cropping of the photo.

I haven't taken any money yet and they simply just want the prints, no frame or anything else.

Chances are that they already have the frame that they want the image to go into.

It would be easier to comment if you could post up the image so we can see what difference the crop makes as depending on the subject the imapct of the crop may not be as bad as you think - remember what they don't get in the image they won't miss - and they likely wont be as critical as you in terms of composition.

ShutterAttack wrote in post #16736468
Hello everyone, I have someone wanting to buy my photos and I'm in a bit of a tough hole because either it can't be done or I'm over thinking it.

I shoot with the Canon 5D Mark III if that's necessary to know.

Basically I have a few photos someone wants to purchase in 10x12, but notice that the photo company will crop it significantly, almost to the point of ruining the picture. Not quality wise, but composition wise.

8x12 however the photo looks perfect.

Am I supposed to tell the customer I can't do a 10x12 due to cropping? Is there a way to make it work as a 10x12 so the ENTIRE photo is in the frame without being cropped out?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

It's your work. If you don't believe the 10x12 composition is something you'd want displayed, don't sell it that way. Can they use a mat that's cut with an 8x12 opening but has the same outer dimensions as the one they were intending to use?

That's the thing I'm brand new to this, I randomly was asked to have some work purchased. I think it might be easier to just say the 8x12 is best, or a 10x15 for larger (being that's close to the 10x12).

Are you sure they want exactly 10x12? Sometimes customers don't know exact or standard print sizes, and just guess at something that sounds about right. 10x12 is a weird print size; neither of my usual labs (WHCC or H&H) even offer than size. Ask them if they're sure that's what they need, or if they're thinking of 8x12 (or maybe 8x10, which doesn't help your crop problem).

Agreed, post the image up here and let us take a look. You might be able to crop in to a 10x12 without losing anything important, or use a little Photoshop trickery to expand the background by a couple inches, turning a 8x12 into a 10x12.

You all want the original image? Or a comparison of the 8x12 to the 10x12? I did offer a 10x15 earlier so maybe they got mixed up and meant 10x15.

ShutterAttack wrote in post #16736623
That's the thing I'm brand new to this, I randomly was asked to have some work purchased. I think it might be easier to just say the 8x12 is best, or a 10x15 for larger (being that's close to the 10x12).

You werent randomly asked. They asked you for a reason. That reason is that your work had something to offer. Will that be destroyed by aggressive cropping? How is it going to be used and do you care? I dont mean to be an ass with that last question but some people care about art more than money, some could care less about the image final form as long as the check clears.

The photo IMO would definitely be ruined with the extreme cropping that needs to be done. From what I've been told, it's just something they can have to show their visit, being they didn't have any camera gear with them.

I would prefer my work to look better than money, just because quality is more important to me. Would want my first prints to look good than messed up. Granted to others it might not be, but I know how it's supposed to look.

Then stand your ground crop it as you see fit and only offer it in the size you are comfortable with.

What is the subject of the image?

They're wildlife shots

In future try to shoot a little looser so that you can have some flexibility with croppingotherwise you will always be limited as to what you can offer.

If the 10x12 size is important to the buyer, you can always add borders on the long sides and keep your actual photo crop the same while creating a 10x12 print.