Reader question

A reader asks the following question:

The issue of aspect ratio: most D-SLR cameras don’t shoot in the traditional 4×6 ratio (or at least I don’t think they do). That’s why whenever I send my photos to be printed off (in 4×6) they always come back a little cropped around the edges.

Good question. Infuriating,  isn’t it?

And yes, you are almost right: other than 4×6, other photo sizes tend to be different: 5×7, 8×10, 13×19 and so on. So why 4×6 is cropped I do not know: most DSLR sensors are 3×2, which is 4×6. So it must be the printing process.

But your question stands: most aspect rations are very different, as are most frames. And the reason is simply history.

And the solution: crop them yourself to the correct aspect ratio, in Lightroom. That way the lab does not have to guess (bad) and you get full control.

Either that, or print at the original aspect ratio on larger paper (i.e. with edges), and then cut those off.