## Aspect Ratio Settings
Product: Monogram - Personal Portfolio WordPress Theme
URL: https://hub.jkdevstudio.com/docs/monogram/customization/aspect-ratio-settings
Updated: 2026-09-06
Aspect ratios control the shape and proportions of images across your site. Think of it like choosing between a square photo, a wide cinematic shot, or a tall portrait - each gives a different feel to your layout.
## What Is an Aspect Ratio?
An aspect ratio is simply the relationship between an image width and height. For example, a **16:9** ratio is the same wide rectangle you see on a movie screen, while **1:1** is a perfect square (like an Instagram post). The ratio doesn't change the actual image - it controls the shape of the container that holds it.
## Available Options
Monogram offers these aspect ratio presets throughout the theme:
- **1:1 Square** - equal width and height, clean and balanced
- **4:3** - a classic proportion, slightly wider than tall
- **3:4 Portrait** - taller than wide, great for portrait-oriented images
- **16:9 Widescreen** - the standard cinematic/TV ratio, very wide
- **16:10** - slightly taller than 16:9, a nice middle ground
- **16:12** - even taller, closer to 4:3 but still in the widescreen family
- **12:6 Panoramic** - an ultra-wide panoramic ratio
- **4:5** - a subtle portrait orientation, popular on social media
## Blog Settings
You'll find these under **Appearance > Customize > Blog Archive** and **Single Post**:
- **Card Thumbnail Ratio** - the shape of post thumbnails on the blog archive page and in post list widgets
- **Featured Image Ratio** - the shape of the main featured image at the top of individual blog posts
## Portfolio Settings
Portfolio aspect ratios are spread across a few Customizer sections:
### Archive Layouts
Different portfolio layouts have their own aspect ratio controls:
- **Grid layouts** (Default, Masonry, Skew) - use the main aspect ratio setting found in the Portfolio section of the Customizer
- **Reveal layout** - has its own dedicated aspect ratio setting to match its unique scroll-driven design
- **Stacked layout** - also has a separate ratio setting, since its full-width cards benefit from different proportions
### Single Project Page
When viewing an individual portfolio project, you can control:
- **Hero Media Ratio** - the shape of the main project image or video at the top
- **Split Layout Ratio** - when using the split layout style, this controls the media panel proportions
- **Additional Image Ratio** - the shape of the optional secondary image in the project introduction
If you're not sure which ratios to pick, leave the defaults as they are. They've been carefully chosen to look great across all layouts and screen sizes. You can always experiment later once your content is in place.
Changing an aspect ratio doesn't crop or modify your original images - it only changes the visible area of the container. Your full images are always preserved.