Framing / Cropping question

[Keta]

(I realize that this IMAGE is of Landscape/Nature, but my post is actually looking for Critique, so I hope this isn't moved because there are some people that don't frequent the Landscape/Nature forum. TY)

I'm learning about framing or "cropping" - as in how much or how little - and have a photo from last year that is perfect for the exercise:

scan of full print

is this better?

or, since the whole point (to me) is the bulging eyeball of the brand-new Baby Bald Eagle looking out over the ocean for the first time, this ?

Or does it really not make that much difference?


Thanks all!

 

[Jeff Canes]

I think both #s 2 & 3 are too tightly cropped. Try cropping the bottom off where the out of force area ends and on the top at the horizon, you will likely need to take some off the sides too for an 8x10 formatting

 

[mysteryscribe]

if it were me.... I would start at the bottom where the copper colored line of stuff goes across. There so the bird had an anchor then spread out to crop for 8x 10 and go up as far as I could be stopping short of the horizon .

You want to give the bird something to stand on, and you want the ocean above him if that is what you are trying to show. I made the crop and it looks a lot like the third one pulled back a little farther with a little off each side... Just my opinion

 

[ksmattfish]

I'd crop the left side and bottom so the eagle's tail was pointing at the lower left corner, and you could still see the sky at the top. Or I would crop the bottom so the image was a square.

 

[DeepSpring]

I'm not an expert or anything but I like the vast background behind the eagle. Maybe if you just took it up on the bottom alittle bit.

 

[Keta]

Thanks for all the tips you guys! You know what . .. I never even thought about keeping my crops in proportion to regular print sizes. Man, so obvious. Should have figured that out for myself. :er:

Anyways, I decided to take a mix of all of your advice, and came up with this

(I also adjusted the levels slightly, as I probably should have right from the start).
Acceptable?

Next; another shot from last year that I now think will benefit from better cropping.
straight scan of print

new crop (no adjustment to levels, didn't need it)

Better??

Thanks so much for indulging all my questions! :hug::