Info needed on ordering print sizes

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connersz

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Jamie
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I was just wondering what the best approach is to ordering print sizes, I have a few questions.

1) I often crop photos down to weird sizes, should I stop doing this and use preset sizes in order to order prints?

2) Say I have a photo, how do I work out the best print size to order?

3) If I order a print size that is different to the aspect ratio of the print, e.g. the print is 10x8 and the photo is 10x4 or the print is 10x40 and the photo is 10x8 what do I do?

4) If I have to crop the photo down, specifically to say remove an area at the top, how do I go about making sure I crop to the correct dimensions?

5) Are there any tools I can use either online, as a download or in CS to help me work this stuff out or get some kind of prevent depending on the print size?
 
You can crop to non-standard sizes if you want but any prints will require trimming and frames would need to be custom made which could get expensive. If you're selling prints stick to standard crops.

Depends what size you want. Once you have the crop ratio you just order a print with the same ratio e.g 5:4 could give you a 10x8 print, 3:2 could be 12x8 etc.
If you're cropping a lot then it would be best not to print too large. The recommendation is usually 300 dpi or ppi so for a 12x8 you'd want a photo that is 3600 pixels by 2400. You can go down to ~100 dpi sometimes though.

If the print and photo size is different then either the print will be distorted or you'll need to create a 'canvas' in photoshop the same size as your print. Then add your image to it (the exact size you want it to be). The print will need to be trimmed though.
Some printers may offer custom sizes but none that I've used.

I use DPP. The crop tool on that offers pre-set ratios. I'd imagine Nikon software would have the same, photoshop too.

Once you've edited the photo and you know the ratio you can just use that to work out what print sizes you could order. You don't need fancy tools for that, just an idea of how big you want the print to be.
 
For online print sales I crop all my pictures 7x5 .. these will then print 7x5, a4, a3, and on..

For publishing work I crop to whatever suits the picture

That any help?
 
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