Cropping / Resizing sports (football) images

[Birch]

I could use some advice on this subject and would like to learn about your experiences. When I open my images from Canon 1DX i Photoshop Elements, the image sizes is always 5184 pixels x 3456 pixels and 72 pixels/inch. Often I will do some cropping before I upload to my photoshelter site.

I used to crop in a ratio of 4:3 in a size of 1575 pixels x 1181 pixels (200 pixels/inch) as the newspaper I supplied, asked for this. However, when I see images in other galleries for download, I see much different sizes. F.ex. GettyImages always offer 300 pixels/inch and sizes up to probably 3000 pixels. Also I have noticed, that their cropping is NOT fixed. They have all sorts of sizes.

Anybody who will share their experiences? I would like to upload as professional images as possible, as future customers could use the images for magazines etc. On the other hand, of course, I would like a workflow, which is not too complicated.

Should I always upload/deliver 300 pixels/inch ? Should I start using various ratios? Which total sizes do you recommend (too big can also complicate matters, I guess!). Cropping to tight, will also limit the usage, as the users have less room for layout, textplacing etc?

Please let me know your thoughts, professional or not....
Claus

 

[whitey]

I dont tend to go to a specific size width wise. I go to the same aspect ratio as the images from camera (approx 3:2)

I always go at 200ppi also as thats a specific for printing

I do see others however that dont crop to a specific size or ratio, only what fits the image best in there eyes, suspect they have a preset of 200/300 ppi on those as you say

If I was putting them on my site for print sales, I crop to the same size as the image ratio (7x5, 6x4 etc)

 

[pope]

I try to keep to 3:2 but if it does not work for the picture, crop to what ever.
Then resize image to about 2 mb, 300dpi and send.
With getty the same, try to keep to 3:2 but what is best for the picture. unsure of the file size dpi as they have a photoshop action that does all that for ya. But would image that is bout 300dpi, as usage can be the papers to glossy mag.

 

[bigrob]

For pics for the papers 4x3, 3x2 isn't necessary.

The crop should 'tell a story'. You can also do more than 1 crop. So say a landscape one and a portrait one.

 

[KIPAX]

as above.. no aspect ratio for newspapers... Mine ask me for 2500 pixels at longest side.. thats it.. i really doubt ppi is an issue with any paper.... as robin says.. crop to the picture... keep it loose so they can recrop as they want.. or send different crops of same pic as I know some do...

 

[GooGaBu]

From my side - I crop to what works best for the image in question and keep them as big (pixels) as I can. For me the clients always ask for plenty of choice on horizontal/portrait format images. As some images they use in a web-article, others go to the front page of A4 magazine..
I also leave mine at 300dpi, unless otherwise asked.