Very BASE question

[Nifty]

What is frustrating is that I go to all this trouble to crop an image to exactly what I want for a 5 x 7 and then when I want to print it on a 4 x 6 I've got to crop off even more!

 

[fotofreek]

Rob - Keep the original image. Save each adjusted and cropped image to a separate file. Always go back to the original file to create the new format. Especially if you are working and saving in JPG format you degrade the image with each save. Also, with your second cropping you may have wanted some of the image that you removed with the first one.

 

[fotofreek]

to blasterq - you can print the entire image or ANY ratio format if you learn to cut your own custom mats for framing. Not difficult.

 

[wrbjr]

Fotofreek, where is a good place to get info on custom mat cutting?

 

[fotofreek]

If your eye-hand coordination is pretty good you can simply use a utility knife (often called a sheet rock knife) and a metal straightedge. I have a roofing square that provides the metal straight edge and helps me to keep right angles as well. I put masking tape on the underside to protect the mat from any discoloration and reduce slipping while I am making a cut. There are some really inexpensive ones that a carpenter probably wouldn't use, but they would be fine for cutting mats. light pencil marks to guide you can then be erased. To begin with you can do 90 degree cuts instead of a bevel cut to get the feel of it. Use a new blade and make the cut deep enough to go through in one pass. You can thn graduate to a freehand bevel cut, but that is a bit more difficult. Do this from the back of the mat as the staight edge will guide the cut that will be directly incontact with your picture and that is the line that shows in contrast to the picture. There are also bevel cutting mat cutters available at most art stores that work well. I was given one almost 40 years ago when I started doing my own darkroom work. Mat board is available in many colors and textures at art supply stores. The alternative is to go to a frame shop and have them cut custom mats for you. In San Francisco I know that Cheap Petes does this for customers at a reasonable price. For the really special picture it would be worthwhile to spend the extra few dollars to pay for the mat to be cut, but for photos you want to frame and later replace, "just for fun", it would be worthwhile to learn to cut the mats yourself. Part of the fun for me is being "hands-on" at every step of the process - take the photo, improve it on the computer, print it (with carts I have refilled), cut the mats if necessary, and hang the print up to enjoy.