To the good folks at Strava,
Please allow the user to share the aspect ratio in which they want to export their image with the run statistics.
Previously, it was 4x5, and it worked.
The reason it worked is that in this aspect ratio, you could see the strava logo, the image in focus and the stats at the bottom of the image, in one glance.
It came together pretty well. Very shareable. Strava logos everywhere. Run stats right where you want them. Boom.
But now, with the new aspect ratio, this does not work as well as you may have thought. I’ll lay it out.
Scenario 1:
I share a picture i took to my Instagram story with my run stats. Now, who ever came with the aspect ratio idea thought that the image would take the whole screen and it would look good. But the stats are now in areas of the screen which are occupied by the app specific action buttons! My run stats are hidden and so is your strava logo. They did not consider this, and no one in the chain of authority, while reviewing this, thought that hey, probably not the best idea.
Now, i have to place an elongated picture in my story with 16-24 px padding on all sides. The image is story shaped but not story friendly.
If share a 16:9 image on my story, and it doesn’t take the whole screen space, it just looks awful.
Scenario 2:
I want to export the last 10 run images and post it on my instagram feed.
Now, I export them in 16:9 because I have no option. If i put these in my post, the strava logo gets cropped if i anchor my image at the bottom so my stats are visible.
The side effect (automatic marketing) of a great feature is now lost to you. And for me, the user, i have to share a photo that is cropped in an ungodly manner. BOOOOO!
I like to run and capture scenic photos every once in a while. The stats + strava overlay looks pretty good on them. In 4X5.
Please. For the love of running, runners and people who are enthusiastic about sharing pictures from their runs with stats and with a great shot they stopped to take on the way, either revert your change, OR ALLOW THE USER to select the export aspect ratio.
I’m out.
