Aspect Ratio Matters

One of the most common questions we get asked is, “Can you make this photo another size?” It could be making a 3”x5” into a 5”x7”, or a wallet-sized photo into an 8”x10”. And our answer is always the same: “Of course, if…” The rest of that sentence depends on numbers and the photo we’re fixing for you.

A 4”x6” photo is 4 inches by 6 inches. The smaller number always goes first. Whether that is the height or length of the photo depends on its orientation, but that’s a topic for another post. That means the ratio of small side to large side, or its aspect ratio, is 2 to 3, or 2:3. An 8”x10” photo has an aspect ratio of 8:10 or 4:5. The closer the numbers are to each other, the more the photograph will be shaped like a square instead of a rectangle.

What does this mean for resizing photos? It means that we can’t just enlarge or shrink the photo itself: the aspect ratio also has to change to the desired amount. We accomplish that by either cutting out or adding in information. For example, if someone wants a 4”x6” group photo from a party converted to an 8”x10”, we might trim the sides of the photo a bit to make it fit the new ratio if possible. To go the other way, from an 8”x10” to a 4”x6”, we have to make it look more like a long rectangle, and that usually involves building out the sides of the photos. We could shorten it vertically, but in our experience photographers tend to leave more empty space on the sides than on the top or bottom. Shortening the photo vertically could cut off the top of someone’s head or their legs in the photo, and that’s something we prefer to avoid.

In closing, yes, we can make your photo another size. We do so by reconstructing your original photograph into something that fits the new aspect ratio, while staying as faithful to the original as possible. It’s a bit trickier than just clicking and dragging or cropping a photograph, but it’s a service we’re happy to provide.