Having a hard time on what to crop. Edit me.

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

05/08/2006 05:57:00 PM · #1

I have this lovely image of a seal, but I love everything about it. The way the water is and the rocks and the placement of the seal. Need advice on where to crop this darling image. No matter how I crop it, I have to cut out something I like. Any suggestions?

crayon

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1

05/08/2006 05:58:26 PM · #2

Originally posted by ladymonarda:

but I love everything about it.

then why crop at all?
cropping is actually a corrective step to remove elements from a composition. If you have everything you wanted and love it, why are you pressuring yourself to crop something out?

Message edited by author 2006-05-08 21:59:45.

Rebecca

Nikon D80

05/08/2006 06:00:08 PM · #3

Originally posted by ladymonarda:

My first impression is that this would be a great square crop, keeping the full height and the seal near the right border. This keeps the rock, the seal, the moss, the reflection and the ripple pattern, but cuts that dead space in the upper right quadrant:

Message edited by author 2006-05-08 22:05:50.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

05/08/2006 06:17:09 PM · #4

Originally posted by crayon:

Originally posted by ladymonarda:
but I love everything about it.

then why crop at all?
cropping is actually a corrective step to remove elements from a composition. If you have everything you wanted and love it, why are you pressuring yourself to crop something out?

She's no doubt feeling the composition is not quite right, but she likes all the elements in it. And I agree with that. The composition can be improved. One approach is the square crop like karmabreeze just showed is, which has the advantage of including all the interesting foreground water but somehow seems to "corner" the seal a bit agressively. Here's another version:

Of course, I did some other stuff too, but not a hell of a lot of it all in all :-)

R.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

05/08/2006 06:37:22 PM · #5

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

... Here's another version:

Seems to have lost something...a little muddied now or something. I like the brighter, crisper version. JMO of course. ;^)

Artifacts

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/08/2006 06:38:19 PM · #6

Originally posted by ladymonarda:

It is always a difficult decision that revolves around the answer to two questions:

1-What is important in the image?

2-How can the "best" features of the image be emphasized through framing, composition and post processing?

Here there are really only three elements that matter. Seal, water(with reflection) and rocks... in that order.

You really don't want anything included that does not directly support the theme of the image. Items that do not directly support what you want should be croppped or cloned out of the image. You also want to devote the correct amount of screen real estate commensurate with the importance of the item. For example, the seal is the most important element in the scene so should have the most prominent position in the picture. There is plenty of excess around it that can be trimmed away without losing any of its impact.

Features can be emphasized by making them big in the frame or by cropping them according to the rule of thirds or other placements or or by post processing or by capturing them from an unusual or interesting perspective in-camera in the first place.

The seal is the main subject. The amount of water (with refection) and the amount of rocks you include should be subservient to the seal and not be allowed to dominate it.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

05/08/2006 06:44:56 PM · #7

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
... Here's another version:

Seems to have lost something...a little muddied now or something. I like the brighter, crisper version. JMO of course. ;^)

jejejeâ�¢ That's 'cuz I threw some gothic glow at it, couldn't resist. But how's the CROP?

R.

Rebecca

Nikon D80

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

05/08/2006 06:49:32 PM · #8

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
... Here's another version:

Seems to have lost something...a little muddied now or something. I like the brighter, crisper version. JMO of course. ;^)

jejejeâ�¢ That's 'cuz I threw some gothic glow at it, couldn't resist. But how's the CROP?

R.

I do like this better than the square, how the rock almost forms the corner there. It's a subtle difference, I had to look at them side by side to see where the crop was made.

fotomann_forever

05/08/2006 06:54:38 PM · #9

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

jejejeâ�¢ That's 'cuz I threw some gothic glow at it, couldn't resist. But how's the CROP?

R.

I've never met a goth seal... hmmm... what next... punk penguins?

CEJ

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

05/08/2006 06:56:13 PM · #10

nothing done but crop to the posted image...

EDIT: maybe even a little more off the bottom...JMO

Message edited by author 2006-05-08 23:08:52.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

05/08/2006 07:23:47 PM · #11

...just another peek. ;^) So many choices, eh?

Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

05/09/2006 02:31:38 AM · #12

Thanks all for taking the time to give me different crops. I will be sending back to you comments when I get a minute. So far I like the one from Alienyst best. Once I do a bit more cropping on the image I will adjust exposure where needed to get a better definition in the darker area.

Thanks for all of your help.

CEJ

Canon EOS-40D

05/09/2006 03:10:59 AM · #13

well thanks! I like the pic and look forward to your final version.

sabphoto

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

05/09/2006 04:17:53 AM · #14

I was actually wondering how a panoramic (longer than tall) type crop would work. Could work depending on how much water and rock you keep. I tried to keep from centering him (her) also.

Message edited by author 2006-05-09 08:18:06.

Lee31

Canon EOS-20D

Sigma 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 Compact Hyperzoom Aspherical for Canon

05/09/2006 05:16:44 AM · #15

I like it as it is. If you crop the bottom part you lose the light reflecting on the water.

As much as I like closeup photos of animals, sometimes it is nice to show the animal in it natural habitat.

Artifacts

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/09/2006 07:27:19 AM · #16

June,

Here are a couple crop possibilities illustrating what I suggested above...

...

The first one gives the seal and its reflection the predominent position in frame. In addition the image is basically split in half vertically to provide framing symmetry between the seal and rocks and their reflections in the water. The seal lies along the top rule of thirds line and faces into the frame which makes it a standard, well behaved composition.

The second one highlights the seal's environment. The rocks and especially the water and its reflections are given more dominance. Offsetting the seal toward the upper right corner says, "here is how a seal lives".

In either composition you would add color and post processing highlighting to make the features you want to stand out more.

The way you frame/crop your subject, what you include and how you post process it depends on what you want the viewer to get out of it. Decide that first and do everything else to support and emphasize your goal.

BTW, I did this using a standard 8 X 10 aspect ratio. Always crop to a standard aspect ratio whenever possible. That facilitates easier and less expensive framing costs and you'll be able to sell them as is later when your images are in high demand. ;)

Message edited by author 2006-05-09 11:36:34.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

05/09/2006 07:37:33 AM · #17

I like the way Steve has worked this one. Has a nice feel/flow to it.

SJCarter

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

05/09/2006 08:03:10 AM · #18

I was late joining the mix, but have to agree with stdavidson's explanations and justifications. He's a pretty smart cookie... (The other commenters here are certainly no slouches either!)

05/12/2006 05:04:35 AM · #19

Wow, you all have done such wonderful jobs. I never really thought about cropping to create a certain bent to the photo. I am really going to have to think hard on what I want the viewer to feel when looking at the photo. Thanks for the tip about keeping the image to a standard size. All your tips and techniques have been really great. I will try to work it up this weekend, then repost. For now, I am just posting a lot of my whale images from the Cape last weekend. I have over 300 photos, and I want to edit about 100. I've started an album, but it will take awhile to complete.
Thanks again.\

June