Printing standard-size digital photos (like 4" x 6" and 5" x 7") to fit into frames or photo albums requires some photo resizing. That's because most photo frames are sized for traditional 35mm images, which are rectangular, whereas the size of a digital photo is more square. We'll show you several simple methods for cropping and printing your digital images.
The challenge: square vs. rectangle photo shape (aspect ratio)
Digital images are more square than rectangular, and they do not fit neatly into pre-made frames and other photo display items.
The aspect ratio dilemma applies to all the standard photo frame sizes.
An aspect ratio is simply the ratio between the width and height—the shape of an image. A square photo, for example, would have a 1:1 aspect ratio (width is the same as the height).
Most point-and-shoot digital cameras have a 4:3 aspect ratio—they are more square-shaped than rectangular.
But a 4" x 6" photo, in comparison, has a 3:2 aspect ratio. This aspect ratio, based on traditional 35mm photo film, has been the standard for decades.
If you printed a true digital image without changing its size, the closest measurement to 4" x 6" would be 4" x 5.3"—not good if you have a frame or album page with space for a 4" x 6" picture.
This same dilemma applies to all the standard photo frame sizes: 5" x 7" (7:5 aspect ratio), 8" x 10" (5:4), etc.
Examine your image before you crop—if you're worried about something being "cropped off" (like the top of someone's head), crop the image yourself rather than having it done automatically.
Cropping minimizes background distractions (like the wayward arm in this example) and creates a more powerful image.
A digital image will not fit into a standard 4" x 6" or other standard-size photo frame without some image resizing. And most photo printers and photo labs print in these traditional sizes.
The solution? Before you print your image you'll have to crop it slightly.
HP Photosmart photo printers or a photo service like Snapfish will automatically crop your photo before printing.
But not all photos are good candidates for automatic photo cropping. Look at your image. Is there plenty of room around your subject? Is your photo centered? If so, then the automatic cropping options should work just fine.
If not, an important part of your photo (like the top of someone's head) could be trimmed off when the photo is centered and automatically cropped.
If you don't have much space around your subject, or if your subject is off center, then you'll want to crop the photo yourself. There are several ways to crop a photo yourself:
You can crop photos yourself in-printer with an HP Photosmart photo printer or All-in-One.
"Drag and drop" images on your PC desktop using the HP Photo Print Gadget with Smart Crop for perfectly cropped photos.
Crop your image using free Windows Live Photo Gallery software.
Easily crop and preview photos with the large color touchscreen on the HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One and other new HP Photosmarts.
An HP photo printer like the HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One will automatically crop your image to the print size you choose. Or, you can choose the "crop" option to decide for yourself what part of your image to crop out.
You can use the large touchscreen to preview your photo before you print. Here you can see the size of your photo in comparison to your paper size, and view what portion of your digital photo will be cropped when printed.
Watch this demo to learn how to crop your photo using an HP Photosmart printer.
Simply "drag and drop" to print perfectly cropped borderless photos in a photo size of your choice, including 2" x 3", 4" x 6", 5" x 7", 8" x 10" and 8.5" x 11".
The HP Photo Print Gadget automatically centers and crops your photos—adjusting the crop zone to avoid "cropped heads."
You can drag, drop, and resize up to six photos at one time—a real timesaver when you have a handful of photos to print!
Snapfish gives you a choice: They will crop the image to a standard size for you or retain the shape of the original digital image.
Snapfish offers slightly resized prints in traditional photo sizes like 4" x 6", 5" x 7", etc. And they have a 4" × 5.3" ("True Digital") option that prints the photo with no cropping. It preserves every pixel of your photograph—it just won’t fit in a standard-size frame.
Now you can access Snapfish to upload, view, and print your photos directly from Web-connected HP Photosmart printers such as the HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One.
Learn more about printing from Snapfish using your printer at home—PC free.
Select "ORIGINAL" (the default) to display pictures with their original properties (with their full height in normal aspect ratios). This means that many pictures may not fill the screen.
Select "OPTIMAL" and pictures will enlarge to fit the screen.
HP All-in-Ones and printers offer features and capabilities that help make photo printing easier than ever—no matter what size your images are or how you plan on using them.
We're always looking for new ideas to share with others. Do you have any creative suggestions to share with other readers? If so, please take a minute to submit your ideas to us.
1 Requires an Internet connection to the printer. Feature works with any Internet- and e-mail-capable device. or details: www.hp.com/go/ePrinterCenter. 2 Requires a wireless access point and an Internet connection to the printer. Services may require registration. Apps availability varies by country and language. For details: www.hp.com/go/ePrinterCenter.
Printable version
