Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

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Bill Hornaday
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p.1 #1 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

I am getting a book published and they want photos in 4:3. I shot full frame and therefore have all photos in 3:2I don't want to crop, so I need horizontal bands top and bottom. Is there a formula as to what the size of the bands should be? Spacing on the math. ???
Thanks in advance

Dec 28, 2012 at 12:08 AM

Peter Figen
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p.1 #2 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

Well, usually, you just draw the picture box in InDesign to whatever you need it to be. If your images are full frame 1:1.5 aspect ratio and can't be cropped without damaging the composition, I would just have them adjust their layout. It's going to look mighty strange to show bands top and bottom in order to accommodate them.

Actually, the more I think about it, just use your crop tool in Photoshop, set your Background Color to White and then crop outside the image to the 4:3 ratio, leaving your image uncropped and a white border top and bottom. That will show them how stupid they are, as that white is going to print paper white anyway and hopefully the graphic designer will realize that he or she should have just adjusted their crops in the first place.

Dec 28, 2012 at 02:00 AM

Mr Mouse
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p.1 #3 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

If all images are from the same camera and have the same number of pixels. It is very easy to do using Photoshop and an action that uses a script to rotate all images to a known orientation then use Canvas size to add canvas to make the image have a 4:3 aspect ratio. All image will have canvas added to the left and right sides or top and bottom. There is a script in my crafting actions package the will rotate image that need to be rotated then after the canvas size change using the script again will rotate the images that were rotated back to their original orientation.
My free Photoshop packages can be downloaded from http://www.mouseprints.net/Photoshop.html

If you know Photoshop scripting it would be an easy script to write that would add canvas to make the image be on a 4:3 landscape canvas, All the script need to do is retrieve the images width and height in pixels and compare it aspect ratio to the 4:3 landscape aspect ratio. If the images aspect ratio is wider the document's width is correct all the script need do is add pixels to the document's height. It the images aspect ratio is narrower then the Landscape 4:3 aspect ratio the document's height is correct all the scrip need do is to add pixels to the document's width. If the images aspect ratio is 4:3 all the script needs to do is exit. When the script add canvas to the height or width it can distribute the pixel so there are two borders on the left and right or Top and bottom. Or it can add the needed canvas to just one of the images four sides.

Here is a Photoshop script that should do the canvas add. Record it in an action and use menu File>Automate>Batch.. to batch process images.

/* ==========================================================
// 2012 John J. McAssey (JJMack)
// ======================================================= */

// This script is supplied as is. It is provided as freeware.
// The author accepts no liability for any problems arising from its use.

/* Help Category note tag menu can be used to place script in automate menu
<javascriptresource>
<about>$$$/JavaScripts/CanvasAR4x3/About=JJMack's CanvasAR4x3 .^r^rCopyright 2012 Mouseprints.^r^rScript^rNext Line!</about>
<category>JJMack's Script</category>
</javascriptresource>
*/

// enable double-clicking from Mac Finder or Windows Explorer
#target photoshop // this command only works in Photoshop CS2 and higher

// bring application forward for double-click events
app.bringToFront();

// ensure at least one document open
if (!documents.length) alert('There are no documents open.', 'No Document');
else {
// declare Global variables

main(); // at least one document exists proceed
}
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// main function //
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function main() {
// declare local variables
var orig_ruler_units = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
var orig_type_units = app.preferences.typeUnits;
var orig_display_dialogs = app.displayDialogs;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS; // Set the ruler units to PIXELS
app.preferences.typeUnits = TypeUnits.POINTS; // Set Type units to POINTS
app.displayDialogs = DialogModes.NO; // Set Dialogs off
try { code(); }
// display error message if something goes wrong
catch(e) { alert(e + ': on line ' + e.line, 'Script Error', true); }
app.displayDialogs = orig_display_dialogs; // Reset display dialogs
app.preferences.typeUnits = orig_type_units; // Reset ruler units to original settings
app.preferences.rulerUnits = orig_ruler_units; // Reset units to original settings
}
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// main function end //
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// The real code is embedded into this function so that at any point it can return //
// to the main line function to let it restore users edit environment and end //
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function code() {
var canvasWidthAspect=4;
var canvasHeightAspect=3;
var imageWidthAspect=activeDocument.width.value;
var imageHeightAspect=activeDocument.height.value;
var canvasAR=canvasWidthAspect/canvasHeightAspect;
var imageAR=imageWidthAspect/imageHeightAspect;
if (imageAR==canvasAR) {return;}
else {
if (imageAR>canvasAR) {app.activeDocument.resizeCanvas(imageWidthAspect,imageWidthAspect/4*3,AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);} //Add canvas to the height
else {app.activeDocument.resizeCanvas(imageHeightAspect/3*4,imageHeightAspect,AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);} //Add canvas to the width
}
}
//Note the math should be done using the vars and not the hard coded 4 and 3 use here so the line fits in the append
// in the .resizeCanvas( statements replace the 4 hard coded values with the var canvasWidthAspect
// in the .resizeCanvas( statements replace the 3 hard coded values with the var canvasHeightAspect
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Helper Functions //
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Edited on Dec 28, 2012 at 03:48 PM · View previous versions

Dec 28, 2012 at 03:26 AM

tived
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p.1 #4 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

Who are you publishing with? thats a really odd request? If you are doing self publishing, choose a format that suits your images!

Let us know how you go

Henrik

Dec 28, 2012 at 03:41 AM

Mr Mouse
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p.1 #5 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

The Math is simple you just need to compare the image Aspect Ratio to the desired Canvas Aspect Ratio to know if the image has the correct aspect ratio or if you need to add canvas to the Height or the Width. Photoshop ruler unites set to work with absolute pixel units. Here the logic:

var canvasWidthAspect=4;
var canvasHeightAspect=3;

var imageWidthAspect=activeDocument.width.value;
var imageHeightAspect=activeDocument.height.value;

var canvasAR=canvasWidthAspect/canvasHeightAspect;
var imageAR=imageWidthAspect/imageHeightAspect;

if (imageAR==canvasAR) {A="OK";} // do nothing or return
else {
if (imageAR>canvasAR) {app.activeDocument.resizeCanvas(imageWidthAspect,imageWidthAspect/canvasWidthAspect*canvasHeightAspect,AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);} //add canvas height
else {app.activeDocument.resizeCanvas(imageHeightAspect/canvasHeightAspect*canvasWidthAspect,imageHeightAspect,AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);} //Add canvas to the canvas width
}

Dec 29, 2012 at 02:14 PM

ACNYPhoto
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p.1 #6 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

If you're going to be shooting professionally you'd better get used to being able to supply the photos in the requested aspect ratio!

Jan 01, 2013 at 05:20 PM

Mr Mouse
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p.1 #7 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

The OP wants to do that by adding borders on their images rather the change their image composition.

For Cropping images to an aspect ratio or disrorting an images to an aspect ratio using Adobe content aware distortion resize changes an image's composition.

Adding boarders can be fully automated. Cropping and disrorting images to a aspect ratio is best done interactivly to achive the best image composition. I would recommend cropping over content aware resize for I'm not a fan of distortion.

If a center crop is accepatable the process can be fulley auto with a action that used a plug-in script that is in my crafting action package. In fact adding an additional step to the action could make the action interactive and give the user control over the ouput composution. After the action uses the Aspect Ratio Selection Plug-in script to set a selection of the proper aspect ratio. Just add a Free Transform step that rotated the selection 180 dregrees and set that step to be interactive. If the center selection is OK just press enter to accept the cuttent selection. Otherwise you can move and resize the selection while holding the Shift key to constrain the aspect ration to the current selection aspect ratio. If you make a mitake while trying to postion the selection press ESC to cancel the transform then click the play buttom to have an other go at the transform.

Crafting Actions Package UPDATED Aug 14, 2012 Changed AspectRatioSelection Plug-in script added Path support.
Contains
Action Actions Palette Tips.txt
Action Creation Guidelines.txt
Action Dealing with Image Size.txt
Action Enhanced via Scripted Photoshop Functions.txt
CraftedActions.atn Sample Action set includes an example Watermarking action
Sample Actions.txt Photoshop CraftedActions set saved as a text file.
12 Scripts for actions
Download http://www.mouseprints.net/old/dpr/JJMacksCraftingActions.zip

Jan 02, 2013 at 04:36 PM

RustyBug
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p.1 #8 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

The easiest thing (imo) is to just go to Image>Canvas Size and multiply the pixels on the short side by a percentage. It will automatically put equal bands on each side of your image (assuming you leave it centered) or you can slide it off-center for a single band. You can set them to any color you want through the picker or just use the Black, Gray, or White preset.

2:3 ... multiply the 2 by 200% ... becomes 4:3
3:2 ... multiply the 2 by 112.5% ... becomes 3:2.25 (which is 4:3)

Canvas size only allows for integers, so for the 112.5% you can simply multiply that on the calculator and insert that number as the new pixel value. Same goes for the 200%, but that's one that you can often do in your head anyway (when working from original file size) to set the pixel value.

Jan 02, 2013 at 05:23 PM

Jeffrey
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p.1 #9 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

Bill, you never cropped ANY of the images during post processing? Hard to believe. Cropping is your most powerful compositional tool. Certainly every scene you shot was not perfect for the fixed aspect ratio your camera provides. Embrace cropping. And, I believe it's just fine to have some of the white book page background showing for images that don;t fit the book page size.

Jan 02, 2013 at 08:33 PM

Eyeball
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p.1 #10 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

I think Bill checked out so now it's just us Internet nit-pickers.

I suspect that Bill DID embrace cropping - he just chose to do it in-camera. He now has images that he wants to present as they are to best convey the image as he intended.

This kind of conflict between the photographer and the magazine or book publisher is not an uncommon one I think. The photographer wants to present the image as is while the publisher/printer is thinking layout or perhaps has production constraints to deal with. The important thing is to maintain good communication between the two parties so nobody is surprised at the result.

I would be very careful about including bands in the image as a way to get around the format restrictions. If your goal was to get a white band to blend seamlessly with a white page or a black band to blend seamlessly with a black page, that may or may not happen depending on the printing process and how it is set-up. It could also cause unattractive white space/layout issues if there is text or captions. I highly recommend open and thorough communication with the publisher/printer on this. I wouldn't try to trick them on my own. If this is a book dedicated solely to your work, I would also suggest requesting a visit to the printer's for review of proofs. The printing/publishing world adds a whole new layer of complexity where color and exposure matching is concerned, not to mention any layout considerations.

Jan 02, 2013 at 09:37 PM

Jeffrey
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p.1 #11 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

Sorry, there is no such thing as 'in camera' cropping, regardless of you seeing that phrase on the internet.

Jan 02, 2013 at 10:40 PM

Eyeball
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p.1 #12 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

OK. Call it framing or composing if you prefer. The point is that the photographer has an image that has the composition and image proportions that he feels best reflects his vision. He doesn't want it changed and how he got to the image proportions, whether by cropping in post or by framing/composing in-camera, is in his eyes very probably irrelevant. He certainly seems reluctant to crop the images to the other proportion and without seeing his images I don't know how we would even determine if that would be a good idea.

An extreme, but common example is where the photographer shoots a horizontal/landscape image but the magazine or book publisher wants a vertical/portrait. Sure, the landscape can be cropped to a portrait but it will likely look like crap.

Now when these kinds of conflicts arise, it sort of depends who asked for what when as to whose "fault" it is. If a magazine contracts a photographer for a model shoot, for example, the photog should get a clear understanding of the requirements from the beginning (and probably even then shoot both orientations to give the art director some alternatives). If fine-art photographers have previous work that they want to publish in a book, then they had better do what they can to find a publisher/printer that can meet THEIR requirements. If it's sort of a 50/50 deal where maybe a book publisher wants to include previous work from a photog, then possibly some compromises on one or both sides will need to be made or they need to part company.

Jan 02, 2013 at 11:07 PM

Jeffrey
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p.1 #13 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

Your right, eyeball. Your example is not extreme, but somewhat common. Photographers that maintain high emotional attachment to their images will not like cropping heavily for format. Pros on assignment and stock shooters will do that in a minute to make a sale, knowing that the requirement is not a platform for them to display their art.

Jan 03, 2013 at 05:22 AM

Mr Mouse
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p.1 #14 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

RustyBug wrote:
The easiest thing (imo) is to just go to Image>Canvas Size and multiply the pixels on the short side by a percentage. It will automatically put equal bands on each side of your image (assuming you leave it centered) or you can slide it off-center for a single band. You can set them to any color you want through the picker or just use the Black, Gray, or White preset.

2:3 ... multiply the 2 by 200% ... becomes 4:3
3:2 ... multiply the 2 by 112.5% ... becomes 3:2.25 (which is 4:3)

Canvas size only allows for integers, so for the 112.5% you can simply multiply that on the calculator and insert that number as the new pixel value. Same goes for the 200%, but that's one that you can often do in your head anyway (when working from original file size) to set the pixel value.

First you would need to verify the image's original aspect ratio is 2:3 or 3:2 then use the canvas size calulations you did for the 2:3 portrait aspect ratio where you increassed the images canvas width 200% or the 3:2 landscape Aspect Ratio where you increase the images canvas height by 112.5%. Once you verify the 2:3 Portrait and 3:2 Landscape its always 200% width increase for the portraits and a 112.5% hieght increase for the landscape that are required to produce the final 4:3 landscale output aspect ratio.

I don't know the op still hard for me to beleive that every image he has, has a 3:2 landscape aspect ratio like they wrote. Even composing in camera by moving the camera location and changins focal length etc it hard to comprehend that the op has never crops or takes a portrait. That is why I wrote the script for him.

The advantage of using the script I wrote is that it will automaticly handle any Aspect Ratio images thrown at it, The Script will add the required borders to the sides or top and bottom to produce the desired output aspect ratio regardless of the original images aspect ratio. The script compairs the images aspect ratios to the desires canvas aspect ratio to determen if camvas needs to be added to the sides or the top and bottom. Once it knows that the script can calulate the canvas size needed using the size of side not being changed and the desired Aspect ratio.

Edited on Jan 03, 2013 at 04:58 PM · View previous versions

Jan 03, 2013 at 01:27 PM

RustyBug
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p.1 #15 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

I dunno ... decades of shooting chromes, my aspect ratio was always the same. Getting it right "in camera" was the ONLY option available to me (in "slide" form) ... it is what you're conditioned toward. It took me quite a while to get used to cropping in post once I entered the "digital darkroom" era.

Of course, if I knew that I would be shooting for print (say an 8x10), then I composed in camera accordingly ... knowing what the end product would be. The OP though presents a case where it seems he had no way of knowing that the end product would be different from his "in camera" framing.

+1 @ calculation being diff if not 3:2 (2:3) to begin with.

Jan 03, 2013 at 04:57 PM

Mr Mouse
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p.1 #16 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

RustyBug wrote:
I dunno ... decades of shooting chromes, my aspect ratio was always the same. Getting it right "in camera" was the ONLY option.

It might have been the only option but as you know it was not always posible to do. I loved my chromes and shot Kodachrome 25 at ASA 32 so my slides were dark for I liked rear projection. However I had some slides printed by pro labs and when I did most prints involved test strips and some cropping. Some Images demand they be cropped. While standard size images fit precut mats a non stardard Aspect Ratio can dynamicly improve and images impact.

Jan 03, 2013 at 05:18 PM

Jeffrey
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p.1 #17 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

Mr Mouse wrote:
RustyBug wrote:
I dunno ... decades of shooting chromes, my aspect ratio was always the same. Getting it right "in camera" was the ONLY option.

It might have been the only option but as you know it was not always posible to do.

Wholley cow, what are you talking about?? The only option?! Cropping has ALWAYS been around no matter what medium you shoot. I learned about proper cropping long before I had anything digital. It's all the same, you cropped a print in the analogue world, or during post processing in the digital world. Every photography class and decent instructor had two matts cut in large 'L' shapes that we could use to try different crops of images made in any format. As I've said many times, cropping is your most powerful compositional tool.

Jan 03, 2013 at 06:31 PM

RustyBug
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p.1 #18 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

Yes ... cropping is an incredibly powerful compositional tool. Of course cropping has been around pre-digital. That's not my point. I'm just saying that there are people who are very adept at in camera composition. Slide shooters have a strong tendency to be very meticulous @ "in camera" (composition & exposure) orientation ... for (imo) obvious reasons.

BTW ... just how do you crop the composition in a slide.

I never was able to figure out how to do it.

Jan 03, 2013 at 07:00 PM

Jeffrey
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p.1 #19 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

Transparencies (slides) are cropped during or after print making. I have seen some folks actually apply cropping tape to the slide itself for viewing or even worse, for slide shows. But, I think we are talking more about presentation prints here than slide shows.

Jan 03, 2013 at 10:43 PM

Mr Mouse
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p.1 #20 · Converting 3.2 aspect ratio to 4;3 with horizontal bands.

RustyBug wrote:

BTW ... just how do you crop the composition in a slide.

I never was able to figure out how to do it.

I did not make the print myself. What I did it was to mark the slide mount and write cropping direction for the print lab to use as well as directions on how I wanted some area printed to enhance the image. I sent the mounted slide to the lab that I received from Kodak Rochester processing plant where I had all my Kodachrome film developed. I received consistent results from Kodac's Rochester plant their quality control was the best and I live in New York. The custom print Lab I used would send me back test print strips I would select from I would send back the test strips I liked then they would produce the final prints for me. The test stripts were notched with some kind of coded information in them. I do not know how they actally processed the slides I sent them. I imagine they made different coppies of my original slide and worked from those. The Custom prints I had made were expensive I did not have many made because the were so expensive.

Jan 04, 2013 at 04:47 AM

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