About Cropping

In order to make the transition from digital to hard copy, it is important to understand a little about cropping. Because 4x6 prints are the most common for digital cameras, the ratio used to achieve this size print is built into the image sensor on nearly all digital cameras. This way, when you take your memory card to the store to get prints, they will look just like they did when you took them.

However, if you order 5x7, or 8x10 inch prints, some of the original image will be lost in order to achieve the different ratios required to produce those prints. In fact, many retail stores will automatically cut or enlarge your image to make this happen, and often you will not be happy with the results.

When you preview your photos on our site, the ratio will be displayed under the photo.

When your photos were taken, care was taken to frame the photo to be able to accommodate all three formats for future printing. If you order prints in a format that is different then the preview, we will manually re-crop the photo to the correct ratio so that you do not lose what is important in the photo, or, depending on the preview format, you might gain a little extra on the sides that was not in the preview. We want you to love your photos!

Format 1:1.5 This ratio is suitable for 4x6 prints.
This is the format that is captured by the camera.
This format is the most rectangular.

Format 1:1.4 This ratio is suitable for 5x7 prints.
To achieve this ratio, the above image would need to
be slightly cropped like the example below.
This format is slightly less rectangular than the one above.

Format 1:1.25 This ratio is suitable for 8x10 prints.
To achieve this ratio, the above image would need to
be cropped even more like the example below.
This format is the closest to square of the three formats.

If you purchased an uncropped image from us using the "Download Option" and you intend to have that image printed, you will be required to crop the image to the format you desire prior to sending it to the photo printer. You can download Picasa from Google, which is a free piece of software that can do this for you very easily. It also has a button that will automatically send your cropped image to your account (or you can create a new account) at the photo processor of your choice, including Snapfish, Kodak, Walgreen's, and dozens of others. The best part about Picasa is that it doesn't permanently crop your image so you can re-crop the image as many times as needed, in as many formats as needed.

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