Adjusting Aspect Ratio

The aspect ratio controls the shape of your captured photos. Getting this right ensures your photos look great in your template and print without awkward cropping.

What Is Aspect Ratio?

Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and height of your photos. Common ratios include:

4:3 — Standard photo shape (like a traditional print)
16:9 — Widescreen (like a movie screen)
1:1 — Square (like an Instagram post)

How Aspect Ratio Works in ALIVE

Aspect ratio is not a camera setting — it's a template property. The template you choose determines the aspect ratio for your photos. When photos are captured, ALIVE automatically crops them to match the aspect ratio defined by the template.

Go to the Templates tab
Open the template editor for your template
The template's photo slots define the aspect ratio
Captured photos are automatically cropped to fit the template

[screenshot: Template editor with aspect ratio]

Which Ratio Should You Use?

The aspect ratio is determined by your template design:

A 4x6 card template typically uses a 4:3 or 3:2 ratio for its photo slots
A 2x6 strip template with stacked photos commonly uses 4:3
A square layout template uses 1:1

Since the template controls the aspect ratio, you don't need to configure it separately. Just choose the right template for your event, and the photos will be cropped to match automatically.

Tips

Preview before the event — Take a test photo and check how it looks in your template
Account for cropping — If your template crops aggressively, make sure guests are positioned well within the frame
Choose your template early — Since the template determines the aspect ratio, pick your template before the event to ensure consistent results

Updated on: 17/03/2026

Was this article helpful?

Thank you!