First is the rule of thumb I have been taught but as you will see in the images below, I don't 100% follow... ALWAYS, ALWAYS get your "Shot" in your viewfinder, then take two steps back. There are a number of reasons for it but the main one is in the end, when the family sits with you at your ordering session and they order their images. If you have taken two steps back, in most cases, the final product will only slightly, or not at all be effected. IF you have done what I did in my examples below and taken "the shot" and not stepped back, you will face losing parts of your images if they order anything other than 4x6, 16x24 and 20x30 sized prints because due to their sizing and shapes, do not crop. Remember, as you will see in the examples below, they aren't just different sizes, they are also different shapes! DOUBLE whammy !
The one other thing to consider when manipulating images in PS/PSE is using the constrain proportions, it keeps the image in balance and will keep it from looking distorted.
So we have our finished images~~ If you have not done the take two steps back method, when your clients order their prints, and they order a print not listed above, instead of cropping an already cropped image, it is advised to go back to your original image, edit and upload that to your print companies specifications. Then you aren't double cropping an image and more of it, if not all, can be salvaged. SCORE!
Here we sit with two images that didn't follow the advised two steps back rule, the clients have inevitably ordered every size that is involved in Cropping! UGH! Now what? How do I show them what the finished image will look like? Well I Googled, hahha, and I found a Crop template, I did manipulate it to fit my style (it is not against the TOS of this product), but credit goes where credit is due. It is reasonable and customizable and WORTH the money! Rachael Myers at Rachael Myers Photography is the creator of the base template you will see below. It can be found here... get it, seriously! You can show your clients exactly what those images will look like, it could also have the potential in showing them that an upsize is ideal for a particular image.
I hope this helps show you how to better prepare for the end results of our images, the print! I hope this encourages you to get this and work with your clients and educate them. I think most of us would be pleasantly surprised at what a little client education can not only do for our ordering but also for building client trust. A little of that can go a long way in ensuring we have lasting relationships with our clients. Isn't that really what we all want?
P.S. These are 2 of my favorite shots from my Shoot with my most recent Senior and is she not the most gorgeous? I Mean really!!
Until we click again,
~Alisha
