How to request a different crop without losing essential image content

Photographs are taken in one shape and used in many. A wide event picture may be needed as a square, a tall banner or a slim website header. A crop that looks easy on screen can cut through the faces you most wanted to keep.

This guide belongs to our wider guide to event photo delivery, editing and preservation.

Why can't every photograph be cropped to every shape?

A crop is a window onto the original image. The window must fit inside the picture, so a very tall window shrinks the width you can include. The result is that some subjects end up outside the frame.

Whether a crop works depends on the composition. A photograph with open space around the subjects may take many shapes. A tightly framed group has nothing to spare. Portrait, landscape and alternative crops from an event explains these shapes in more detail.

What should you tell the photographer?

A clear request has four parts:

1. The shape. A ratio or a size, such as square, 4 by 5, or a wide banner.
2. The use. Where the image will appear, because a banner and a print need different things.
3. The must-keep content. People and details that cannot be cut.
4. The can-lose content. Anything at the edge that can go.

With this, the photographer can say whether the shape is possible, propose an alternative, or recommend a different photograph from the set. A bare ratio gives them nothing to weigh.

How do you describe the subjects?

Be concrete. "The bride and groom, both faces visible, with the cake on the left" is better than "the main part". If there are several people, say who matters most. If the image will be viewed small, say so, because small details may be lost anyway.

You can mark the crop on a copy of the image, using a simple drawing tool or a screenshot with a box drawn on it. Mark the area you want to keep and send the marked copy with the file name. This avoids any confusion about which part is meant. The request itself can follow the steps in requesting routine selections and agreed revisions.

What does a crop do to quality?

A crop discards the pixels outside the frame, so the remaining image has less detail. For a social post or a website, this seldom matters. For a large print, it matters a lot.

Before you decide, compare the cropped file's dimensions with the size you plan to print. Our photograph print size calculator gives a guide. If the crop leaves too few pixels, consider a smaller print, a looser crop or another photograph. Also see why a shared photograph may look smaller or softer.

A worked example

For example, imagine a company that wants a delivered group photograph of 40 staff as a tall poster for the noticeboard. The original is wide, and the group fills most of the frame.

The communications officer writes: "We need a 2 by 3 portrait poster. Everyone's faces must stay in. Please remove the exit sign at the right edge if possible." The photographer replies that a tall crop would cut off people at both ends, and suggests a second photograph from the set in which the group stands in two rows. The officer approves it, and the poster works. Asking about priorities, not just ratio, led to a better photograph.

Who keeps track of the versions?

Each crop is a new file. Name it so you can tell the shape and keep it away from your ORIGINAL folder. Our guide on file names, folders and corrected photo versions explains the habit. When the crop is for printing, record the details on your order sheet as described in what to record before ordering prints from another supplier.

If you expect many alternative shapes, say so before the event. The photographer can leave more space around the subjects where it is practical. Use the photo delivery acceptance checklist to review the files when they arrive.