Is cropping..... bad?

[terri]

My mentor taught me a way which I think is quite effective - start with fully manual camera with a 50mm f1.8 lens and produce standard 6x4 prints processed with no manipulation. When you can take a picture in most circumstances which is exposed correctly, composed correctly and is a final product..... then you may use zoom lenses and cropping as you know why you are doing it.

Quite a good logic I think as you're going to get the "best" quality image from a full frame enlargement, rather than a sub-crop enlarged by a greater magnification. Therefore it's desirable to get it perfect in-camera, but by no means unacceptable to produce a final product which has used techniques like cropping to improve it further.

Rob

And I believe that's why so many of us get that pounded into our heads when we're being taught. It's a starting point and a good one - to move on from, as needed. :thumbup:

 

[hammy]

You all make very interesting points. I guess now that I think of it cropping really is just part of the creative process. Thanks all

 

[Willc73]

Exactly, cropping is just part of the process.