Effect of cropping on prints?

wersal gummage

Hi,

Quick question (I've googled but not clear on this).

I use a Canon 5d mark ii which I understand uses a 3x2 ratio?

This should print perfectly for a 6x4" photo, but will be 'off' for 8x10"?

Equally, if I shoot in a 3x2 mode and subsequently crop the photo, does photoshop automatically resize (or keep) the cropped photo in the same 3x2 format? Or have I now adjusted this 3x2 ratio by cropping?

Is there anything I should be aware of in Photoshop (I use the cc version) that would help with this? Eg, when editing I can have a "print view", but can I also have a view based on what size photo I intend to subsequently print??

I have tended to just keep photos online / on computer but looking to do some printing now.

Thanks!

ScumLord

wersal gummage wrote: »

does photoshop automatically resize (or keep) the cropped photo in the same 3x2 format? Or have I now adjusted this 3x2 ratio by cropping?

That depends on you.

If you're capturing images on your camera in raw format and importing them using camera raw then it keeps the original image and applies things like crops and CC on top of the image. Then a copy of that image is sent to photoshop which is then saved in the native photoshop format. So you end up with two images.

If you're working in jpeg and not actively making copies to work on then you're using destructive editing.

Look up nondestructive editing, this will give you a process that will mean you can roll back any image to how it came off the camera.

wersal gummage

Thank you for that.

I shoot in raw and open the raw files directly with photoshop cc. I then edit, sometimes crop a bit, and 'save copy as' a jpeg....

ScumLord

wersal gummage wrote: »

Thank you for that.

I shoot in raw and open the raw files directly with photoshop cc. I then edit, sometimes crop a bit, and 'save copy as' a jpeg....

Yeah, so you're saving a copy of the original.

I assume you're importing to photoshop via camera raw? I don't think photoshop can process camera raw natively (at least in my version, CS5) so you shouldn't be able to change the original raw file, that's where camera raw comes in..

If you open the folder of your pictures in adobe browse you'll see the original Raw photos where you've edited the crop for example, the thumbnail will have a little icon in the top right to show the edits. You can open that file again at any time and change any crop and CC changes you have made and then send a new copy of that to photoshop.

I would recommend saving in the photoshop format for your local files, you only really need to change it to jpeg when you're sending it to someone else or putting it online. Jpegs are very compressed and a bit of a dead end from a nondestructive point of view. If you decide you want to change something down the line your work path will be gone once you save as jpeg.

wersal gummage

ScumLord wrote: »

I assume you're importing to photoshop via camera raw? I don't think photoshop can process camera raw natively (at least in my version, CS5) so you shouldn't be able to change the original raw file, that's where camera raw comes in..

Thanks again. No, I just open the raw file directly with photoshop (having first imported the raw files from the camera onto my computer with Canon software). I don't alter the original raw file, I save the changes as a copy file. I'm just curious whether, when I save my cropped file, what that would then print like... I guess I can just get a few extreme examples printed and see what happens.

Thanks for the tips, I'll look up those things that you've mentioned.

ScumLord

wersal gummage wrote: »

I'm just curious whether, when I save my cropped file, what that would then print like... I guess I can just get a few extreme examples printed and see what happens.

There's a crop tool in photoshop that lets you put in whatever ratio you want. It should come out the same ratio you just lose some resolution.

Myksyk

ScumLord wrote: »

There's a crop tool in photoshop that lets you put in whatever ratio you want. It should come out the same ratio you just lose some resolution.

Also, just make sure the "delete cropped pixels" box remains unchecked (it's on the top of the page when the crop tool is selected). That way you always have the original pixels to go back to.

CabanSail

Just making it clear that you cannot edit a RAW file, so as long as it it retained you can always start again.