Aspect Ratio Guide: 16:9, 4:3, and Beyond
DefinitionThe proportional relationship between width and height.
1The Simple Explanation
It's the shape of the rectangle. 1:1 is a square. 16:9 is a widescreen TV. 9:16 is a phone held upright (TikTok). If you put a square peg in a round hole, you get black bars.
2Technical Deep Dive
Calculated by dividing Width by Height. 1920 / 1080 = 1.77 (16:9). Instagram Portraits use 4:5 (0.8). Cinematic movies use 2.35:1. Mismatched ratios require 'Letterboxing' or 'Cropping'.
Common Misconceptions
Myth: You can change aspect ratio without cropping. Fact: You must either stretch the image (ugly) or cut off the edges (crop).