Cropping (image)

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This article is about cropping images. For other meanings of the word crop, see Crop.

2.35:1 image with widescreen aspect ratio

2.35:1 image with letterbox resized to 4:3, the whole image is visible

1.85:1 image with letterbox resized to 4:3. Typical 16:9-image, the outer edges of the image is not visible

1.55:1 image with letterbox resized to 4:3. A compromise between 16:9 and 4:3, often broadcast in the UK

1.33:1 image without letterbox, because it is a 4:3 image. Little of the image remains

Cropping is a method to remove parts of the left and right sides of an image and the word is used in the film, photo, graphic design and printing industries.

[edit] Cropping film & video

Cropping is a method to remove parts of the left and right sides of widescreen movie or video so that it fits into another aspect ratio, without stretching the image or filling the blank spaces with letterbox bars.

With the advent of widescreen television, a similar process, removing large chunks from the top & bottom to make a standard 4:3 image fit a 16:9 one, losing 25% of the original image, is coming into use. This process has become standard in the United Kingdom^{[citation needed]}, at least in TV shows where many archive clips are used, which gives them a zoomed in, cramped image with much important picture information missing and with blurry picture because of the reduced resolution. This is preferred to a process called pillarboxing, where black bands are placed down the sides of the screen and allows the complete image to be shown. Due to the fact that many viewers dislike black bands on their screen, this process is seldom used. This was, at least, public opinion in the mid-90s, when widescreen TV first arrived, but letterboxing and pillarboxing is now much more accepted by the public. Nonetheless production techniques have yet to change to reflect this.

[edit] Cropping in print, design & photography

In the printing, graphic design and photography industries, cropping refers to removing unwanted areas from a photographic or illustrated image. One of the most basic photo manipulation processes, it can be used, for instance, to remove an unwanted subject or irrelevant portion from a photo, or to improve a composition.