When I proof images, I do so as a 5×7. The printed proofs I bring to your ordering session are 5×7s. It’s important to remember as you choose your print sizes that not all sizes crop the same. An 8×10 will lose a little “real estate” from a 5×7, for example. Generally, I try to leave enough space around the important elements of a photo to accommodate all sizes, but with some close crops, that’s not always possible. Take these examples.
This picture has enough space around the subjects that all the crops are appealing and contain all the important elements.

This image is a much tighter shot. And you can see how the change in print size can really affect the feel of the final image, especially in the square crop. The square crop is still a lovely image, but it has a very different feel from the 5×7.

Of course, as I prepare your order for printing, if you’ve ordered an image in a size that’s going to greatly affect the final outcome of the image, I’ll bring it to your attention and show you what the image will look like in it’s final size.
Special thanks to Kayla Renckly for the inspiration and template.