Cropping for Different Ratios: Square, Portrait and Widescreen

One photo often needs to serve many purposes: a square profile picture, a tall story and a widescreen banner. Cropping well for each keeps the subject strong.

Common target shapes

Ratio	Use
1:1	profile pictures, grid posts
4:5	portrait posts
9:16	phone stories and short vertical video
16:9	banners, thumbnails, slides
3:2 or 4:3	prints and general viewing

Shoot with cropping in mind

• Leave breathing room around the subject.
• Avoid placing key details at the edges, since they may be trimmed.
• Take a wider shot than you need. You can crop in, but you can't add.

How to crop for each shape

Square (1:1)

• Centre the subject.
• Works well for faces, single objects and symmetrical scenes.
• For a wide scene, choose the most interesting square area.

Portrait (4:5 or 9:16)

• Suits tall subjects: people standing, buildings, trees.
• Leave space above the head.
• For stories, keep important parts away from the top and bottom, where interface elements can cover them.

Widescreen (16:9)

• Suits landscapes, group photos and scenes with a horizon.
• Place the horizon along a third of the frame rather than dead centre.
• Make sure faces aren't cut at the edges.

Composition guides

• Rule of thirds: imagine a grid of nine sections. Place the subject on a line or intersection.
• Leading lines: roads, fences or rivers that guide the eye.
• Negative space: empty areas that let the subject stand out.

Keep the original

Crop a copy, not the original. That way you can make a different crop later.

Consider resolution

Cropping removes pixels. A heavy crop from a small image can look soft. If you plan to crop a lot, shoot at a higher resolution.