Choose the shape
This family can retain more image height than a 3:2 landscape frame. It is useful when the photo’s original 4:3 composition includes important sky, foreground, or space around people that would be cut by a wider target.
| Property | Example |
|---|---|
| Matching landscape pixels | 4000 × 3000 |
| Example print sizes | 6 × 8, 12 × 16, 18 × 24 inches |
| Equivalent orientation | 4:3 landscape |
Fill the frame
A landscape 6000 × 4000 image filling an 8 × 6 frame retains an ideal 5333⅓ × 4000 pixel rectangle. It removes about 11.11% of the original area from the sides and provides about 666.67 PPI. Integer raster output resolves the fractional crop boundary at pixel precision.
Keep the whole photo
Keep the same photo whole at eight inches wide and it becomes 5⅓ inches high. Inside the 8 × 6 frame, the remaining two-thirds inch is split into one-third-inch borders above and below. All 6000 × 4000 pixels are represented at 750 PPI.
What the ratio cannot tell you
The fact that a 4:3 source fits the shape says nothing about whether a printer supports the chosen sheet or whether the source is visibly sharp. Check size, PPI, paper, and the image itself as separate decisions.