When cropping to change the aspect ratio the following are my methods, with the most prevelent being option 1, and the least being option 3:

1) Crop equally/symettrically. (i.e. same number of pixels from left and right side/top and bottom of the image is cropped).

2) Crop only from one side (i.e. pixels from only one of the sides, left or right/top or bottom of the image is cropped).

3) Crop an unequal amount of pixels (i.e. an unequal number of pixels from the left and right side/the top and bottom of the image is cropped).

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At least 8 times out of 10, images I have cropped and uploaded have been cropped using method 1.

I haven't been advised to do this, this is just what I thought was common sense in terms of retaining the intended appearance of the original image. Whether cropping vertically, or horizontally, if an equal amount of pixels is cropped from both sides, I feel like that keeps the integrity or the intended look of the image as retained as possible. (i.e. it keeps the positioning of objects/symmetry/line of sight in an image the same).

Sometimes images cannot be cropped as such, since important things (i.e. text and logos) can become chopped in half/cut into. Those instances are fairly clear cut.

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However there are other images where it is not as clear what should be done. To give an example, here is an image I'm currently hesitating on how to crop. Here is the image cropped equally from top and bottom (i.e. method 1). In my opinion, the image cropped this way doesn't look...ideal...? Though, it looks acceptable. It looks fine.

But, here is what the image looks like cropped only from the bottom (i.e. method 2), and here is what the image looks like mostly cropped from the bottom, but also a little from the top. I feel like I am more likely to upload one of these.

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What do you think is best? How do you make these decisions? Am I being too pedantic? Does it not really matter?

I'm spending too much time going back and forth trying to decide how best to crop images, and would like some clarity as to what TMdb's stance is on it rather than spending time second guessing myself.