Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I. In-Camera Cropping 10 slides Copyright © Kenji Tachibana

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping Good Habit: Crop it in the camera Build good habits. Practice ‘in camera cropping’ every time you shoot. It will help you to fine-tuning your ability to ‘See’. The word ‘See’ is short and simple but extremely multi-faceted and complex. In order to capture that ‘Decisive Moment’ perfectly framed in the viewfinder or LCD screen, takes a combination of the ability to see and good luck. Usually, thinking gets in the way of seeing.

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping Bad Habit: After the fact cropping Cropping a captured image always means losing image quality. I’ve seen student take a high quality 5 mega pixels image and crop it down to a poor quality 3 MP image. Facts: % and Megapixel Crop 20% from a 5 MP image results in a 4 MP image. Crop 40% from a 5 MP image results in a 3 MP image. In this case, smaller number (less pixels) is not what you want.

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping Full-frame vs. Cropped 3 Megapixel Image: Full resolution image from a 3 MP camera can actually look very good. Although, cropped 3 MP section from a 5 MP camera will not look as good. Compact digital and most DSLR kit lenses are designed to deliver maximum resolution for the full frame image. Therefore, cropping an already captured image usually means taking away image quality.

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping Allowable Crop: 10% safety margin The 10% crop is a compromise between the purist notion of ‘no after the fact cropping’ and the real world Output needs. Framing example – putting an image into a picture frame can mean loss of image area at the edges. Commercial example – full page bleed images needs a ¼” image area on all sides for production needs. Distortion correction example …. Important special cropping rule…

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping Image Aspect Ratio: Frame shape In order to crop properly, you need to be aware of the idea of ‘Exact Shape’ of your camera image. There are 3 basic digital camera image shapes: -Compact digital camera 4:3 aspect ratio. -DSLR camera 3:2 aspect ratio, shape. -HDTV super-wide 16:9 aspect ratio. Be sure you know what your image shape is and make your layouts accordingly. DSLR users will be required to camera crop with a 4:3 shape in mind when they shoot.

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping Image Frame Shape: The point-and-shoot digitals have a 4:3 aspect ratio which has been the computer monitor and TV screen shape standard until recently. DSLR: Special shape DSLR cameras have a wider 3:2 aspect ratio which is a legacy shape from the 35 mm camera. DSLR 3:2 shape 3:2 shape 3 parts 2 parts Compact Digital 4:3 shape 4:3 shape 4 parts 3 parts DSLR is wider

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping Required Assignment Shape: The compact digital with its 4:3 shape automatically fits the class assignment shape. The DSLR users will have to shoot With the less narrow shape in mind. Later in the quarter, I will be demonstrating the Photoshop Frame Layer technique. Compact Digital 4:3 shape 4:3 shape

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping DSLR Cropping: Options The simplest and the preferred procedure is to take equal amounts from each side as shown to the right. Although pay attention to the image. It may require an removing unequal amounts from the side as shown to the right. Unique Cropping Routine Cropping

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I In-Camera Cropping Camera Crop Summary: This has mostly been about shapes and numbers which is geometry. And it’s an important part of getting it right. Although, once the shape is correct, the more important part is to concentrate on telling the story. Don’t put story relevant imagery in the crop off area.

Teacher: Kenji Tachibana Digital Photography I x End