Create Product Pages that display proper sized images and with custom aspect ratios

I am starting (or at least trying to) a store web site for an elderly artist friend of mine.

I am also brand new to SquareSpace. I may even be using the wrong lingo for the Squarespace world.

It appears the standard store product page images have to be the same aspect ratio for all product images. If I am incorrect in this understanding, please advise.

Is there an approach that I can use from the ground-up?

For example, do I need to learn how to create a unique product page for each product - and define a unique image block so that the actual product image can be fully presented - and then learn how to link to each of those pages while offering groupings by categories?

Other ideas?

If my understanding about product image limits is accurate, I am surprised by this limitation - but it is what it is and unless there is a competitor that offers something better, I need to figure out how to work with Squarespace.

I am not looking for someone to do this for me - but maybe a roadmap suggestion about the best way to proceed - and the best way for me to learn the "how to's".

Thanks !!!!

I'm also an artist and have just encountered the same problem! The shop page images are ok because I could change the aspect ratio, be the product pages heavily crop each artwork. If anyone knows a work around for this I would be greatly appreciative!

The only work around I can think of is to upload images that are photoshopped to the correct aspect, but that seems like an unnecessary amount of work...

On 4/19/2022 at 5:00 AM, NickHeynsbergh said:

I'm also an artist and have just encountered the same problem! The shop page images are ok because I could change the aspect ratio, be the product pages heavily crop each artwork. If anyone knows a work around for this I would be greatly appreciative!

The only work around I can think of is to upload images that are photoshopped to the correct aspect, but that seems like an unnecessary amount of work...

Can you share link to a product?

So - here is one supposed way. UGH !!!

I will be playing around with this suggested approach today - to understand if it works, how well it may work - and how much effort it is to create and maintain inventory.

I am really impressed with Squarespace overall - but this seems a basic piece of functionality that is lacking.

I need to be able to display my friend's art in whole and using different aspect ratios.

The workaround may be to take photos that can be cropped to one standard aspect ratio - but those photos will have various "frames" of white space around them - not the most professional look.

https://sf.digital/squarespace-solutions/how-to-show-product-images-in-their-original-aspect-ratio-on-squarespace-71

This solution will work - but if you only want the art piece to be displayed, a unique aspect ration will need to be defined for each piece with different measurements.

Since my friend will have relatively low numbers of art to present, this is the way he will go when he starts up his commercial site.
Custom tags and custom code need to be defined for each different aspect ratio. A TAG of SQUARE can cover all square pieces - but besides a square piece. the two pieces I tested with were 714 by 906 pixels (requiring a 78.8% custom code) and 495 by 875 pixels (requiring a 55.57% custom code)....

So it appears to work great but will take some effort to customize the image containers using the special CSS code shown in this article:

https://sf.digital/squarespace-solutions/how-to-show-product-images-in-their-original-aspect-ratio-on-squarespace-71

On 4/18/2022 at 5:00 PM, NickHeynsbergh said:

I'm also an artist and have just encountered the same problem! The shop page images are ok because I could change the aspect ratio, be the product pages heavily crop each artwork. If anyone knows a work around for this I would be greatly appreciative!

The only work around I can think of is to upload images that are photoshopped to the correct aspect, but that seems like an unnecessary amount of work...

This solution will work - but if you only want the art piece to be displayed, a unique aspect ration will need to be defined for each piece with different measurements.

Since my friend will have relatively low numbers of art to present, this is the way he will go when he starts up his commercial site.
Custom tags and custom code need to be defined for each different aspect ratio. A TAG of SQUARE can cover all square pieces - but besides a square piece. the two pieces I tested with were 714 by 906 pixels (requiring a 78.8% custom code) and 495 by 875 pixels (requiring a 55.57% custom code)....

So it appears to work great but will take some effort to customize the image containers using the special CSS code shown in this article:

https://sf.digital/squarespace-solutions/how-to-show-product-images-in-their-original-aspect-ratio-on-squarespace-71