Help with Cropping

xfloggingkylex · Oct 13, 2006

cropping is actually one of the things I struggle with most, I can never seem to pull off something that looks good so I tend to leave it as is from the camera.

here is a picture that I took the other day spur of the moment of a tree with yellow leaves. I like the shot (it needs more DOF, as I am finding out open lenses dont work well capturing the detail of the leaves) but I know it could be better, particularly in the cropping department. There is a lot of sky, which I dont really mind, as well as a lot of road. I just dont know how much to chop of. All help is greatly appriciated.

Also this was my first experience shooting RAW, so I had a good time

hyp0rbyte · Oct 13, 2006

Good stuff :thumbup:

Maybe crop just the tree? If you crop much closer it will cut off the leaves on the ground which really add to the photo..

I would try to re-shoot getting under the tree etc.. but I really like this one. Good eye.

hyp0rbyte · Oct 13, 2006

Cropping out the sides is a good idea... the only options really would be leaving the sky, or the ground.. By cropping the bottom, it makes the leaves (on the ground) appear like mid photo which kind of screws up the focus.

my crop... I also did an auto color, slight curves, adj/levels/upped gray slightly. Border. I know you hadn't done any PS yet, but I thought I'd
throw it in.. The sky is a bit boring too. A bright blue sky would have made the tree really pop.

cutepoison · Oct 13, 2006

well imo,I dont like how the sidewalk and the car are just at the right end of the pic..it would be better if they were fully inside the pic,not "touching" the edges...maybe less building/road and more nature...(leaves/sky)

edit: I just saw the reply with the black frame pic...exactly what I tried to say

mysteryscribe · Oct 13, 2006

I cropped it before I saw the other crop and it is exactly the same so I'd go with what is posted above me.

Big Mike · Oct 13, 2006

xfloggingkylex said:
I like the shot (it needs more DOF, as I am finding out open lenses dont work well capturing the detail of the leaves)

It looks like the DOF is sufficient, both the curb and houses in the back appear to be in focus. The leaves don't appear all that sharp...probably for a few reasons. Did you use a tripod? If not, then try it. Was there any breeze at all? The slightest movement of the leaves will cause blurriness...this gets worse as the shutter speed goes down...so try to get as fast a shutter speed as possible...while still maintaining an aperture that will give you enough DOF. The bright color of the leaves doesn't help...color can sometimes 'bleed' together...especially with things like this. The quality of the lens will be an issue as well. Top end lenses are better at resolving fine detail like this...especially with colorful subjects.

As for the crop, I like what has been done by hyp0byte.

cosmonaut · Oct 13, 2006

Using the rule of thirds will help your crops some...
Greg

xfloggingkylex · Oct 13, 2006

hyb0rbyte, you did exactly what I was expecting from this group. It looks soo much better that way, thank your for that.

As for no blue sky, this was taken right before the a storm (which never actually came, but same conditions) which leads me to Mike...

this was handheld so you're right, that's why the leaves dont look so crisp. Also it was shot with my kit lense (only one I've got) so those all attributed to the colors. If tomorrow is a blue sky day and there are still leaves on the tree I'll snap a few more.

thanks again to everyone for your help.