images cut off a bit

When I print a 4x6 the image is a bit cut off when it prints. ie; heads
appear closer to the top of the paper. How do I avoid this?

Thanks
LisaB

LisaB wrote:

> When I print a 4x6 the image is a bit cut off when it prints. ie; heads
> appear closer to the top of the paper. How do I avoid this?

This is the result of printing a photo that has a 4:3 aspect ratio
at the 3:2 aspect ratio of a 6x4 print. The plain fact is that
your photo is not as "wide" as a 6x4 print, so when it fills the
6" dimension, the vertical dimension is 4.5", which exceeds the
4" height of the print paper.

You can choose between printing the picture on 6"x4" paper with
a width of 5.3" and white (or other color) bars on the sides but
all of the photo visible, or you can print at 6"x4" and cut off
1/9th of the vertical dimension of the photo.

If you have control over the cropping when printing at full width,
you can choose to cut off the bottom of the photo, leaving the
heads intact.

-michael

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it's seriously underused."

Thanks. When I crop the photo the very same thing happens. So I guess I have
to resize my photo to be less then 4x6? And are you saying the only way
around this is to have white bars on the picture? I'm still a bit confused.

Also my printing softare has a feature that says 'crop it fit' or shrink to
fit' Which should I use?

Thanks
Lisa

"Michael J. Mahon" wrote:

> LisaB wrote:

>
> This is the result of printing a photo that has a 4:3 aspect ratio
> at the 3:2 aspect ratio of a 6x4 print. The plain fact is that
> your photo is not as "wide" as a 6x4 print, so when it fills the
> 6" dimension, the vertical dimension is 4.5", which exceeds the
> 4" height of the print paper.
>
> You can choose between printing the picture on 6"x4" paper with
> a width of 5.3" and white (or other color) bars on the sides but
> all of the photo visible, or you can print at 6"x4" and cut off
> 1/9th of the vertical dimension of the photo.
>
> If you have control over the cropping when printing at full width,
> you can choose to cut off the bottom of the photo, leaving the
> heads intact.
>
> -michael
>
> "The wastebasket is our most important design
> tool--and it's seriously underused."
>

LisaB wrote:

> Thanks. When I crop the photo the very same thing happens. So I guess
> I have to resize my photo to be less then 4x6? And are you saying the
> only way around this is to have white bars on the picture? I'm still
> a bit confused.
>
> Also my printing softare has a feature that says 'crop it fit' or
> shrink to fit' Which should I use?
>
> Thanks
> Lisa

================================
Crop to fit means you will lose part of the
graphics if the aspect ratio of your picture
does not equal the template you are using
to print. IOW...anything that does not fit inside
the 4x6 template will be cut off.

Shrink to fit means you will see the complete
original but it will not fill the template...this
is where the white bars come from.

If you do your own cropping...you will have
the opportunity to move the selection frame
manually which will allow you to control which
part of the image is cropped. This may
prevent the loss of uncle Henry's bald head ).

FastStone Image Viewer has an excellent
crop tool.

FastStone Image Viewer
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

Here are some instructions:

To achieve a particular size without
distorting the image, you must "Crop"
a portion the size you need. Imagine
cutting out a particular size with scissors...

If you download the freeware FastStone
Image Viewer...and install it...you can
open your image in the program and go
to...Edit / Crop Board...

On the Crop Board screen, you will see
a button below the image with three dots
on it...if you click it you will see a menu
of sizes to choose from. If the size you
need is not present, you can add it. Then
click OK. Now you can left click/drag the
corners of the selection box to frame the
portion of the image you wish to keep.
And you can reposition the box by
dragging the 4 way arrow.

When you are happy with the selection ...
click the Crop button.

Now...File / save As...choose a save
location / enter a name / click...save.

--

John Inzer

LisaB wrote:

> Thanks. When I crop the photo the very same thing happens. So I guess I have
> to resize my photo to be less then 4x6? And are you saying the only way
> around this is to have white bars on the picture? I'm still a bit confused.

The problem is not the *size* of your photo, but the *shape* of the
photo. Unless you are willing to s-t-r-e-t-c-h you photo (distorting
it), you cannot make a 4:3 shaped photo fill a 6:4 shaped print without
losing some of the shorter dimension.

> Also my printing softare has a feature that says 'crop it fit' or shrink to
> fit' Which should I use?

John has given an excellent description of what those terms imply.

If you know that you plan to make 6x4 prints and you have a camera that
takes 4:3 photos, you should be careful to frame your shots so that
a little can be cut off the top and bottom in printing.

> Thanks
> Lisa
>
> "Michael J. Mahon" wrote:
>
>

--

-michael

AppleCrate: An Apple II "blade server"!
Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it's seriously underused."