What the 3:2 aspect ratio means
A 3:2 picture is 3 parts wide for every 2 parts tall, for example 1800 × 1200 px. Most cameras take photos in this shape, and so does 35 mm film.
| Use | Size in pixels |
|---|---|
| Photo for a website or blog | 1200 × 800 |
| 10 × 15 cm (4 × 6 in) print at 300 ppi | 1800 × 1200 |
| Large file for print or editing | 3000 × 2000 |
Why 3:2 matters for prints
The most common photo print, 10 × 15 cm (4 × 6 in), is 3:2. A photo in another shape is cut by the print shop or gets white edges; cropping it to 3:2 yourself decides what stays.
Phone photos and 3:2
Phones take photos in 4:3, which is a little taller than 3:2. Cropping a phone photo to 3:2 removes a thin strip at the top and bottom: move the photo so nothing important is lost there.
Cropping is not resizing
Cropping cuts off the edges that do not fit the new shape; nothing is squeezed or stretched. Resizing only changes the number of pixels. This tool does both in one go: it cuts the photo to the ratio, then saves it at the size you pick, or with every pixel of the crop under “Original”.
When the photo itself is the problem
A crop cannot fix a photo that is too small, too dark or cut off at the forehead. If you need a portrait and have no good one, a professional headshot made from a few selfies gives you one that fits any frame.