Episode 211: Obsessive Isn’t a Bad Word

We often talk about framing a photo to get the best composition, but sometimes we don’t nail it. Or we realize in editing that a tighter crop would be better. Or something crept into the edge of the frame at the last second. In this episode, we talk about cropping photos, whether AI cropping is worth trying, and why there’s only One True Aspect Ratio. Hosts: • Jeff Carlson: website (https://jeffcarlson.com) , Jeff's photos (https://jeffcarlson.com/portfolio/) , Jeff on Instagram (  / jeffcarlson  ) , Jeff on Glass (https://glass.photo/jeff-carlson) , Jeff on Mastodon (https://twit.social/@jeffcarlson) , Jeff on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/jeffcarlson....) • Kirk McElhearn: website (https://www.kirkville.com) , Kirk's photos (https://photos.kirkville.com) , Kirk on Instagram (  / mcelhearn  ) , Kirk on Glass (https://glass.photo/mcelhearn) , Kirk on Mastodon (https://journa.host/@mcelhearn) , Kirk on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/kirkville.com) Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co (https://www.photoactive.co/home/episo...) ) • Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/p...) • LUMIX L10 Uncompromising Image Quality (https://shop.panasonic.com/pages/lumi...) • Panasonic Lumix L10 Review: Compact, Stylish, and Capable | PetaPixel (https://petapixel.com/2026/05/15/pana...) • Episode #13 - Aspect Ratios and Why They're Important — PhotoActive Podcast (https://www.photoactive.co/home/episo...) • When editing this episode, Kirk went to the Guardian website, and the photos of the day were not all in 3:2 aspect ratio, whereas he is sure that in the past they almost always were. Most photos in this daily selection are in 3:2 but this is changing. Photos of the day | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/news/seri...) • Enlarging easel (https://lensnotes.com/darkroom/easel/) : this is the tool you use to crop when printing photos with an enlarger. Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site (https://photoactive.co) to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/p...) or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group (  / photoactivecast  ) to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive. Lumix L10 Aspect Ratios (Credit: Panasonic) Kirk’s bread (Photo by Kirk McElhearn)