by: ali almazar | ali almazar photography
Say we've picked a family portrait where your youngest is leaning into the group with that big, crooked grin. Then I pull up the 8×10 preview and suddenly their elbow is right up against the edge. An 8×10 is a little squarer than many camera images, so filling the print edge to edge means trimming some of the photograph.
What Changes When I Crop a Photo to 8×10?
An 8×10 has a 4:5 aspect ratio, which is just the relationship between its short and long sides. Many cameras make images in a 2:3 ratio, so those photographs fit a 4×6, 8×12, or 16×24 without an additional crop.
Picture a horizontal 8×12 print. Keep it eight inches tall and bring the width down to ten, and a centered crop takes an inch off each side. For a vertical photo, that same crop comes off the top and bottom.
I can shift the crop up a little to give the brim of a senior's hat more room, as long as there's room to spare at the bottom. With a wide family portrait, moving the crop to save one person's elbow can crowd somebody on the other end. That's when I'd try a wider print.
How I Help You Choose the Right Print Size
For a close-up, I like how an 8×10 can pull your eye right to the expression. If I've left a stretch of window light beside someone in an editorial portrait, I'd try an 8×12 first. That light might be half the reason I love the photograph in the first place.
If you've already picked out a frame with a mat, measure the opening in the mat. That's how much of the print you'll actually see. If you love the full composition and want to keep the 8×10 frame, you can print the image a little smaller with white borders. I talk more about mats and display choices in my framed prints guide.
If the print is going on a wall, bring a straight-on photo of the space and its measurements. We can use both to compare crops and print sizes at your Reveal + Ordering Appointment.
For more on getting your favorite photographs off your phone and onto your walls, read Why Printed Artwork Matters More Than Ever.
