 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cropping Digital Photos Into Shape
Did you know that in many cases digital photos are cropped by the time they reach paper? If you have never "cropped" your photos manually, you may not be aware that it is happening. What is cropping? Cropping is the process of trimming portions of the digital image so it fits in the shape of the paper. Let's say we have a 5" x 7" photo. The problem is, the frame we want to display is 4" x 6". One of our choices is to take scissors and carefully trim away the least important edges of the photo until it fits into the 4" x 6" frame. What we have accomplished is "cropping". In the world of digital photography, cropping is performed with software. When the photo is comprised of bits of data, there is no need to crop for size alone-the software and printing process can stretch the image to fit. We do, however, have to crop digital images to fit the paper's shape. A more detailed look Let's look at an example. My Canon camera has a sensor size of 1536 x 2048 pixels. Dividing these numbers by the highest common denominator of 512, we get an image shape of 3 x 4. How many print sizes do you think fit this shape? Not many. If we want 4" x 6" prints, the shape of the 3 x 4 digital image will not fit. It is possible to stretch the image into the 4 x 6 shape using software, but this will distort the image, which we don't want. Our only option is to crop the 3 x 4 image into the 4 x 6 shape. If you are thinking, "I never had to crop my images and they always looked fine," then chances are the cropping was done for you automatically. Who would do such a thing behind your back? Don't be alarmed, cropping was always done on our behalf, even with film photos. When we drop off our digital photos at a lab to have them developed, or insert them into our printer, the images are loaded into the computer system and are automatically cropped. How does the computer know which sections are OK to crop and which ones are not? It doesn't. When the decision is left to the machine, it will trim an equal amount from two edges. Have you ever received a photo from the lab and something important near the edge was cut off, but when you saw it on the computer screen it was there? That is a result of automated cropping. Do your own cropping for maximum control Under most circumstances automatic cropping produces good results with our snapshots. In cases where we want to control precisely where the image is trimmed, we need to take the cropping under our own control. Cropping can be accomplished in several places such as your photo editing or printing software, online developing services, or the kiosk machine available at many local labs. I find that the best place to crop your photos is on your own computer using the software you are most familiar with. If you have never used this feature of your photo editing software, I urge you to learn how to use it. The other two cropping methods are typically more time consuming. You may also be rushed during the delicate cropping procedure if a line forms behind you at a kiosk machine. Charles Kerekes is an amateur photographer and maintains the Flying Sam Digital Photo Guide (FlyingSamPhoto.com) web site to help others find fun and unique digital photo finishing products and services.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Use A Tripod! Using a tripod is essential when taking photos - and not just for night shots. To get ultra crisp and sharp pictures, your camera cannot move at all when the shutter is open. How To Become A Digital Photography Pro Being a professional digital photographer is a dream many people have but most lack the ambition to follow through. Still, you want to take the best digital pictures you can without forking over the cost of a photography degree. Canon-Powershot-A80 Review Last month we bought the Canon Powershot A80 online for about $325 including shipping after looking at digital cameras for about a month. It had all the features we were looking for in our price range and the stylish gleaming metal case didn't hurt either. Digital SLR Camera versus a Compact Digital Camera Digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras are excellent cameras that produce clearer, sharper and more colourful images than most point and shoot digital cameras available. With prices falling rapidly, they are now more affordable then ever. Christmas Rush this Holiday Season to go to Digital Photography So you have rushed out into the malls in a mad panic for this christmas holiday and are going to purchase a electronic item on Credit think again. Consumers are paying again through the nose agin this year 1. Selecting Your First Digital Camera Purchasing a digital camera is a wise decision, particularly if you take a lot of pictures and you want to control how they are developed. Camera prices continue to plummet and Americans are exchanging their 35mm cameras for digital devices at a record pace. Tips for Better Vacation Photos Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences with family and friends. Here are a few suggestions to help you capture vacation memories you will treasure for years to come. Weddings, From a Photographers Point of View Your wedding day is without a doubt one of the happiest and stressful days of you life. The happy part comes naturally but how can you cut down on the stress? Well from a photographers standpoint, seeing that he is with you from the beginning of the day till the end, and sees you before and after the wedding, I would like to offer some tips and secrets to make it more happy than stressful. The Advantages of Underwater Camera Housing You will need an underwater camera housing to keep your valuable camera dry. This is a very important piece of equipment. A Guide to Underwater Cameras There are two types of underwater camera systems: an ""amphibious"" camera, which is a self-contained waterproof system, and an SLR land camera with waterproof housing. Amphibious systems are small, compact, and easy to travel with, while SLRs offer more advanced features, such as auto-focus, advanced exposure control, and through-the-lens viewing. Olympus Digital Cameras - Digging Into The History One of the oldest companies, Olympus has had a long and historical journey. Olympus digital cameras are being used all over the world today. Photography Business: Taking Baby Photos - for Professionals & Families Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph. They are the best for two reasons, people are more tolerant at looking at baby photos, as well as the fact that babies are not aware their image is being captured, and therefore they do not tend to put on the "camera face" so typically used by elder children and adults. Tips for Purchasing a Digital Camera Lens Your lens is an essential element to good photographs. It's not just your camera. Digital Camera Batteries Every device needs a driving force to operate, just as every living thing needs a heart to keep it alive! Basically electric power does this job for any kind of devices nowadays. Similarly for any digital camera too, a good battery is necessary in order to ensure an excellent performance from it as long as possible. Kodak CX7300 Digital Camera Quality digital cameras are becoming affordable for just about everyone these days. Kodak's entry into the low cost end of the market is their CX7300 3. Terms Used The In The Stock Photography Business So you are a small business person or web designer and you want to purchase some stock photography for your website. Great. Digicam File Formats Looking at the digital camera, a person can visualize it as a combination of a camera along with a miniature computer system that stores the images as files or sets of bits, rather than a chemically treated film. Thus it comes to be a fact that there are certain file formats in which these images of the photographs captured by the camera are stored. Your Mobile Digital Darkroom - Five Tools of the Trade While digital photography offers you the ability to review photograph instantaneously, it also offers you the added convenience of editing photos on the fly as well.Enter the world of the mobile digital dark room. Start a Photography Business from Home Anyone with the right camera equipment, and the necessary skills can set up a home business, marketing photography. You need only to convert a room of your house into an office, and then you can work immediately. How to Create a Great Video - a Simple Guide on How to Shoot Home Movies with a Camcorder So you have bought a camcorder and have shot some footage, but truthfully you don't much like the results. Maybe I can help.
|
|
|
 |
 |
