Today’s post is going to walk you through how to order the right size of prints! Consider this your personal print sizing guide– helping you confidently order the RIGHT size, whether it’s for your living room or a gift for a friend!!
Print dimensions like 4×6 and 11×14 were confusing to me until I became a photographer. I had no idea how big they actually were, and I just needed to know what size would best fit my wall.
If you identify with being confused about print sizing, this is FOR YOU. Keep reading
Today’s post will show you how to order the right size of prints and will use the 6 most common sizes as examples. It’ll also cover a few basic things you should know about them. I’ll also show you what each of them looks like on a wall that is 4.5 feet wide. Let’s dive in!
4×6
4️⃣x6️⃣ Very inexpensive, but also small! It’ll be the perfect size to have on your nightstand since it doesn’t take up too much space. Photos this size won’t require much cropping since 4×6 is the dimension of most standard camera sensors (2:3).
5×7
5️⃣x7️⃣ Slightly larger than 4×6, and require a bit more cropping (but nothing significant). Most save the dates are 5×7, and it’s the perfect size to have on a smaller desk. Still an inexpensive print option!
8×10
8️⃣x Think school portrait head shot! If your mama is anything like mine she had you + your siblings newborn 8×10 pics hanging in your living room! These are bigger prints that are still fairly low cost. It’s almost twice the size of a 4×6 photo, but still not enormous! You’ll be cropping a fair amount since you’re dealing with a 4:5 cropping ratio instead of the camera’s standard sensor ratio of 2:3. I
11×14
1️⃣1️⃣x1️⃣4️⃣ This size is starting to take up some real estate (just a little longer than a foot on one side). The 11×14 print requires more cropping like the 8×10, so be wary of that! Many parents will opt to get their favorite head shots of their high school senior in this size (takes up more of the wall without being a true to life print of their child’s head ).
16×20
1️⃣6️⃣x2️⃣0️⃣ I LOVE this size in a canvas wrap! In my opinion canvas wraps can look strange hanging on walls if they’re smaller than 8×10. This size gets pricier, but is 100% worth it for a statement piece in your living room. Just know that you’ll need a few or to size up if you have a large blank wall! Keep in mind that the cropping is the same as the 8×10, so choosing photos with a dramatic, wide long landscape may not turn out the way you want.
Check out how this lineup of different sizes fills out the 4.5′ section of wall via the photo below.
