Visalia, Fresno Wedding and Portrait Photographer, Printing Aspect Ratios

Aspect Ratio
...or why can't I print a full frame image on standard paper sizes

“As a photographer, we are faced with losing parts of our images when printing them out depending on the size of the print. Customers too wonder why they can not have the entire image on there print. The frustration this causes can not be avoided. I came across this great example and wanted to share it with you. I hope this information can and will allow you to see image size versus the crop a print may receive to your printed products.” Troy Wegner

   

Aspect Ratio is the ratio of the short size of an image to the long side of the image. We talk about it all the time without realizing it. When you get a 4x6 inch print you are describing the aspect ratio of that print: 4x6 (or 2x3, or 1x1.5). The length long side of the image is 1.5 times the length of the short size.

This happens to be the aspect ratio of most digital SLR cameras. These cameras evolved from 35mm film SLR cameras. 35mm film actually measures 24mm x 36mm (do the math, that translates to 2x3 or 1x1.5). Hence a 4x6 print can show the entire frame from a 35mm slide/negative or from most DSLR cameras. I say most because Olympus has SLR cameras with a 3:4 ratio, and most compact digital cameras are also in the 3:4 ratio. But that is not typical for DSLR cameras. I will talk about 3:4 ratio at the end of this discussion.

So, what happens when you want to make an enlargement from your DSLR image? If you make an 8x12 enlargement you will get the full frame. Everything you originally saw in the image. But, you might be saying, most frames are available in 5x7 or 8x10 sizes. What happens when I make a 5x7 or 8x10 print? What happens is that you either have to crop off parts of the original image, or you have to print with uneven borders (the borders on the long dimension will be wider than those on the short sides. The physical dimensions/aspect ratio of the image and the frame are not the same. Something has to go.

Here is an illustration:

The red line indicates the full 1x1.5 ratio of the DSLR original file. The other lines show the area of the image that will be included in various size prints.

The green lines shows the crop for an 8x10 or 16x20 (1x1.25 aspect ratio). Notice that a relatively large section of the original will be cropped out to make an 8x10 print.

The blue lines show the crop area for a 5x7 print (almost the full frame).

The yellow lines show the approximate crop area for an 8.5x11 or 11x14 print.

As mentioned above, there is an alternate way to print. You can have uneven borders, as illustrated below:

Here you are printing the full image frame (shown by the green lines) on 8x10 paper (red outline) at a size of about 6.67 inches by 10 inches, leaving a wide white border along the long dimensions of the print.

Another illustration:

The red frame shows the full image as captured by the camera. The green frame shows the part of the image that can be printed as an 8x10 inch print. Of course that green frame can be moved left or right in the image for the best composition.

Another way to think about this is to divide the long dimension of your original image by the short dimension and then divide the long/short dimension of your frame size and see if they match up. For example, take your original image that is 2:3 ratio. Divide 2 into 3 and you get 1.5. Now take your frame size. First we will try an 8x12 frame. 12 divided by 8 equals 1.5. The number is the same. The original image will scale to 8x12 with no cropping necessary. Second we will try an 8x10 frame. 10 divided by 8 equals 1.25. This does not match the original 1.5, so the image cannot be scaled to 8x10 without cropping.

One more illustration:

Note the black diagonal line from corner to corner of the image. That shows various crops within the image that will maintain the 1:1.5 aspect ratio. The green border and diagonal line indicate the available 8x10 (1:1.25) crops available from this image. Any rectangle who's corners fall on the diagonal green line can be a 8x10 crop from the image.

Here are the some common aspect ratios and print sizes:

Aspect Ratio
Sample Print sizes (no cropping required)

1:1.5
2x3, 4x6, 8x12, 16x24, 20x30, 32x48

1:1.25
4x5, 8x10, 16x20, 24x 30, 32x50

1:1.3
11x14

1:1.4
5x7

3:4 Ratio -- or the 4/3 system
Traditionally, televisions and personal computers have had screens with a 4:3 (width to height) aspect ratio. Computer screens have come in 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960, etc. As compact digital cameras were being developed the 4:3 ratio was adopted by most manufacturers. This way digital camera images fit the computer screens. But they don't fit traditional photographic printing paper sizes.

Here is a 4:3 aspect ratio image with 8x10 (green) and 5x7 (blue) crop guides on it.

The 4:3 aspect ratio translates to 1:33333 and gives you un cropped print sizes like 10.5x14, 9.6x12.8, 9x12, 7.5x10, or 4.5x6. Not your typical print sizes. But these do work well for online, full-screen presentation.

Visalia Fresno Best Wedding Photographer, The Latest In Top Wedding Dress Designs, Wedding Gowns And Picking A Wedding Dress

Flickr Tags: top wedding dress designs designers,wedding dress collection,wedding fashion,wedding dress shopping,new wedding gowns,wedding photographer

      When it comes to one of the most important purchases you can make for your wedding day it has got to be the dress. Because if you don’t look good in your dress or you feel you don’t look good, you will become more self conscious and worried through out the whole day. When really, you should be loving every moment your wedding day provides. You find yourself looking into every mirror or window reflection wondering if this or that is sticking out or worst yet falling out, yikes. All your worries and uncomfortable pokes will show on your face and body language as the wedding photographer (me) has been taking pictures non stop.  My job is to capture your whole day, and to show you looking the most gorgeous and beautiful you have ever looked in your life!

The incredibly gorgeous self confidence that a Bride has and shows when she is in her wedding dress makes for beautiful pictures. However, if you are uncomfortable wearing the dress and you bought it because the dress was on sale and made the budget well “your bad”. So consideration to style and comfort are a must. As a photographer I have seen what a cheap dress has done to a Brides self confidence.

Just as picking out the right dress is vitally important so is picking the right photographer. All I can say is shopping a photographer solely on price to fit in the budget  you may be getting exactly what you are paying for, a cheap photographer. When all the food has been eaten, the cake is gone, the flowers have withered away, the tuxes have been returned, the one thing that will remain and remain for your lifetime are your pictures. Please pick your photographer with the same discretion you have for your wedding dress. Sometimes you find a dress that is just a little bit more money than you would like to pay but it is “the perfect one”, so you end up buying it and spending a bit more. You are now thinking where can I cut back on the other wedding items to get the money back into the budget for everything else. Your Photography really should be the last item to cut from. In fact a lot of Brides will cut from everything else so they can add money to get the best Photographer. Your pictures will last forever…………           

Here is a link to some of the newest wedding dress designs as well as some of the top wedding dress and gown makers. I really hope the information has been helpful and has offered something for you to consider.

A link to wedding dress designs, “click this link”

Visalia, Fresno Wedding Photographer, The Grand 1401, Hotel in Fresno

I wanted to share a couple of my favorite images from the Wedding of Matt and Katie. They held both the wedding and the reception at the Grand 1401 in Fresno.  We were to shoot Bridal party pictures at Woodward Park but the 40 degree weather turned out to be a bit to cold for everyone.  We really made the best of it, shooting the entire day in doors. Also, a thank you to my second shooter David Donovan.

Thank you Matt and Katie and a big Congratulations to both of you. 

 

Visalia,Fresno Central California and Destinations. Wedding,Seniors,Family,Boudoir and Life Photographer

Visalia, Fresno Wedding Photographer, How To Choose A Wedding Photographer When You Have A Wedding Budget

Flickr Tags: Wedding,budget,photographer,Visalia,Fresno,Wedding Cordinator,troy wegner photography,sanger,madera,three rivers,best wedding photographer,cheap wedding photographer,photography,winery weddings

 

Wedding photography prices are all over the map. Some wedding photographers charge just a few hundred dollars to show up and shoot, some charge a few thousand dollars and some charge a small fortune to come and essentially do the same thing, right? After all, they are “just taking pictures” and with the technology that is available today, anyone can do it, right?

WRONG!

You’ve been planning your wedding in your mind since you were a little girl. You finally met the man of your dreams and he proposed. Now you have to actually plan your wedding; setting budgets, finding a venue, making decisions on who to invite,  what kind of flowers to have, finding the perfect dress, trying out different caterers, dealing with your future in-laws, the list goes on and on...

And then there’s the wedding photography; the one thing you have left to help you remember your emotions, events and details after the food has been devoured, the band has played, the flowers have withered and the guests have gone home. You soon come to find out that wedding photography prices vary widely. Some wedding photographers charge just a few hundred dollars to show up and shoot, some charge a few thousand dollars and some charge a small fortune. How to choose?!

Truth is, it’s hard to compare wedding photography prices because the numbers don’t always tell the whole story, so it’s important to compare apples to apples.

Here’s a real life scenario:

Let’s say you find 2 photographers who both have a package that cost $4,000.

For $4,000, Photographer A will shoot for 8 hours on the day of your wedding, include an engagement photo session, a framed print, a second shooter and a 20 page 11x14 album.

For the same $4,000 Photographer B will show up and shoot for 6 hours.

Which is the better deal? Well that all depends on the quality of the work and the experience the photographer delivers. What if Photographer A is brand new to the business and has only shot a handful of weddings? What if the album is made by some cheap manufacturer and has a funny smell to the faux leather? What if they take forever to return calls and emails and give you poor customer service? What if their work is average at best?  How do you feel about spending that $4,000?

Now let’s say Photographer B does an amazing job for his $4,000. He or she has tons of experience, the images are incredible, you had a blast being photographed and the customer service is top notch. Sure, you’re might have to spend a few thousand more dollars to get a nice album, but at least you will be in love with your images and you’ll enjoy them for years to come. I suggest you are getting better value for your money in this scenario.

I understand that there’s a lot of money being spent in the month leading up to the wedding and there is a lot to consider regarding wedding photography prices, in addition to all of the other vendors you are hiring for your wedding. I often advise my potential clients who are on a tighter budget to invest in the best wedding photography they can afford; get the best possible pictures first and foremost. You can always come back and order prints, albums & other products well after the wedding. (Traditionally paper is given as the first anniversary gift...may I suggest photo paper bound in a leather album?)

Disclaimer: I am certainly not suggesting that just because one wedding photographer has higher prices that they are automatically better. It’s still up to you to evaluate the skills and value provided by the photographers you are considering hiring.

Here is a simple checklist for you to use when trying to determine whether wedding photography prices are a good value or not:

Think about:

• The quality of the images  
• The quality of their albums
• The personality of the photographer, their presentation, their reputation and the service they deliver.

Also make sure to:

• Ask around. Getting referrals from trusted friends & colleagues is a great place to start.
• Do your homework. Browse through several photographers to find those you like who also fit your budget. 
• Meet them in person. You are stuck with your wedding photographer not only on your wedding day, but they’re usually the only vendor you have to deal with after your wedding is over. It’s important to hire someone you like and feel comfortable with.

Lastly, I suggest hiring a photographer who is passionate about their job. One who is dedicated to taking the best possible pictures on your day and delivering a remarkable experience to their clients. One who takes pride in the work they do and it makes in obvious for you to see. Invest in a professional who will take care of your memories.

I look forward to each wedding giving 110% and making images that can be presented as art. Always work with my couples I do everything possible to make the whole wedding day the best experience ever. I hope as you search for your wedding photographer that you would remember some of the information listed above as well as to consider me as your wedding photographer.

http://www.troywegnerphotography.com/

Picking A Wedding Photographer

Flickr Tags: visalia fresno wedding photographer,central california,central coast,the knot weddings,wedding style,wedding posing

You have been dreaming of your wedding day for years and planning it since you were a little girl having tea parties. Its one of the most important days of your life and you will share that day with the friends and family you love. While some of the memories from your dream wedding will gradually fade, your wedding pictures will live on. Here are a few tips to make sure your wedding pictures are exactly what you dreamed they would be.

Before hiring a wedding photographer I always recommend that brides and grooms take a look around the web and understand the difference in the main styles of wedding photography. Become an educated consumer by going to places like the knot. If you do not know what you want, then how can any wedding photographer or vendor give it to you? If you do not know, then how can they meet your needs completely. this is a recipe for a wedding disaster.  The question is do you know what you want? In general you could break wedding photography into a few popular styles like traditional, portrait or photojournalism.

After looking around the web for a few hours and coming up with some example for me to look at, most brides will say that they want their wedding images to be taken in the photojournalism style. Most brides do not want old fashioned portraits taken and they do not want cliché pictures either. However, there is another style of wedding photography that has become very popular in recent years, posed photojournalism. Huh?  What is that and do those words even go together, yes.  However, its also what most brides want and they do not even know it.

Posed photojournalism will make life easier for the bride and groom while the images simply just look better. This style gives you the wedding pictures you have dreamed of since you were a little girl. Most brides and grooms are not professional models and have no experience posing in front of the camera. How can you be expected to know how to pose for your wedding pictures? Its simple you cant. By getting together with a photographer who is playful and fun that will do anything to get you great wedding pictures, you will be on the right path to great images. Your wedding photographer should be there to help you and make sure that your pictures turn out perfect. Your job is to look beautiful, be happy, and get married. Our job as the photographer is to document your wedding day and make sure that you look your best.

You do not need to worry about the little things like is your hand in the right position, do you have a hair out of place or is your gown beautifully spread out with your veil showing?  I am watching carefully before the picture is taken and fixing or positioning anything that will improve your wedding pictures. Remember, by practicing posed photojournalism with your wedding photographer on your engagement shoot, you can relax on your wedding day and have more confidence that your images will look real and flow naturally.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog post and I look forward to meeting with any bride to be. If I can answer any questions you may have please feel free to contact me.  2twphoto@gmail.com