Tips for capturing family portraits intended for 8x10 size

[BuddyO]

Got the family together in order to take a group portrait intended for an 8x10 landscape print. I framed it on my 50D so it looked good in LiveView, but after reviewing the pics and trying to print an 8x10 version, realized that to keep the same framing, I will have margins on the top and bottom. If I attempt to size it to fit the 8x10, it crops off too much on the sides and I lose 1/2 person on each side. I realize this is due to the 2:3 ratio not working well for 8x10.


So my question is, do you account for this when framing? Do I want to frame wider so I can crop in post-processing?


I

[Mark Elberson]

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Courier New';"]Just what you said...you have to leave room for this while framing. Do it enough and it will become 2nd nature. When shooting in the Landscape orientation you need to leave room on the sides. When shooting in the Portrait orientation you need to leave room on the top and bottom. You must always take aspect ratio into account when shooting for the purpose of printing. Unless you are printing a panorama, all standard print sizes will have a smaller ratio than the DSLR standard of 3:2 so you'll always need to leave room on the longest edge of your frame.<o></o>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Courier New';"]<o></o>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Courier New';"]Also, some 3rd party manufacturers make focus screens that have aspect ratios like 5:4 etched on the screen so that you can see the exact framing right in the view finder.

[TakahiroW4047]

It wasn't a portrait but a landscape image so it doesn't fully apply to your situation, but I had my 2:3 shots printed to a 16x20. It leaves a blank space about an inch and a half on top and bottom. I filled the blank space with black to go along with my black frames so it looks just fine.


A lot of times I see photos being presented with an inch or two of white foam board (I don't remember the proper terminology [*-)])around the image before the actual frame begins. I bet you could still print your 2:3 photos with the blank fills on the top and bottom as a 8x10, but just cover it up with the foam board to make it 2:3? There might be uneven spacings between the sides and top/bottom, but I think it may be better than cutting a person in half []


Or, just keep the blank fills white, so it'll somewhat blend in with the white foam board.


I love the 2:3 ratio of the camera, and it's a shame that they don't print large sizes in that ratio.

[Mark Elberson]

I love the 2:3 ratio of the camera, and it's a shame that they don't print large sizes in that ratio

The 12X18 print retains the 3:2 aspect ratio. It's my favorite enlargement! It's hard to find frames that size though.

[TakahiroW4047]

Ahh! Nice! So they do!

It's hard to find frames that size though.

Yeah when I first did my large prints I didn't realize that the frame would cost tremedously more than actually having the images printed and mailed. Not to mention a custom sized frame [:|]

[Daniel Browning]

I

[clemmb]

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif';"]
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif';"]Also, some 3rd party manufacturers make focus screens that have aspect ratios like 5:4 etched on the screen so that you can see the exact framing right in the view finder.
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>

I always have crop guides in my viewfinder. I either buy them or etch them myself. I have had to tell a customer that I could not give them an 8x10 because it could not be cropped without chopping someones head off. It only had to happen once.[:|]


Mark

[neuroanatomist]

Also, some 3rd party manufacturers make focus screens that have aspect ratios like 5:4 etched on the screen so that you can see the exact framing right in the view finder.

Canon makes them, too. But AFAIK they only make them for 1-series bodies.

[Mark Elberson]

<span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"]Features like this should be superimposed in the view finder...<o></o>

[neuroanatomist]

Features like this should be superimposed in the view finder...

Ahhhh...but which aspect ratio? Are you planning for an 4:5? 1:1? Something else like 5:7? I'd guess most 'casual' users print 4x6 if they print at all, but regardless I think it should be an option but not forced on people. The 1D/1Ds crop screens come as a pair with 4:5 and 1:1 crop line screens. I think they had them for the 5D, but they don't have them for the 5DII. A quick look at a couple of 3rd party vendors didn't turn up any crop line screens for the 5DII, but I didn't look too hard. Also, as you say, you can take a standard screen and draw lines on it yourself (not sure I'd try that!).


On the other hand, there's absolutely no reason Canon can't implement crop lines of multiple selectable aspect ratios for Live View, and likewise, they could easily implement them on a transmissive viewfinder LCD such as those used on the 7D and 60D.