Too much crop?

[dylanstraub]

I've noticed that I have a habit of selectively cropping most of my recent captures. I'm wondering if I'm not doing a good enough job of composing the shot. Also I've been using the 60mm lens to death since I got it. It's nice and fast with good magnification but I'm wondering if maybe I need to change up a bit. Does anyone else get stuck in a rut like this and if so how do you break out?

 

[480sparky]

Difficult to judge without seeing samples.

 

[dylanstraub]

There were other dogs in this shot but I wanted to focus on this dog and get the viewer in close.

There were a bunch of other orchids in this picture but I only wanted to show these three and some bokeh so I cropped the few on top to get the desired result.

 

[Overread]

You'd have to show a version of the shot that shows the original full frame captured for us to get an idea of how much you are cutting away to get your final compositions.

Myself when it comes to cropping is I view it as another tool in the bag that can be used to enhance what the photographer captures. Almost all photographers who are keen on their hobby/craft and who want to get the best results will nearly always be aiming to "get it right in camera" with each and every shot. However in the real world things go wrong - sometimes you miss something in the heat of shooting and capture something in the frame you don't want; sometimes you realise later that your composition was poor, but that you can enhance the view; and sometimes you can't physically compost the shot any different (can't move closer - can't change lenses etc...).

It's then that you can indeed make use of the cropping took - just as you might sharpen, reduce noise, boost colours, contrast - even going down to small selective changes.


In the end the photo is not what comes out of the camera - its what you put up to see/show (to yourself or to others) and outside of any limitations on editing imposed upon you (personal limits - professional limitations etc..) there is no crime in working with what you capture to improve what you finally end up with.



So in the end I say that yes you can indeed crop, and if by cropping you are also seeing and teaching yourself better composition that will rub off in the shooting. The only time this becomes a "sin" is when you are overly relying on cropping whilst being lazy in the shooting stage.

 

[WesternGuy]

I think I would have cropped the dog a little less on the left, and a little more on the right maybe just to the left of the fence post in the background so that it is not in the centre of the picture. Cropping so the dog is on the right third of the image gives more of an "action" aspect to the image as the dog is then "seen" to be moving into the left side of the image. When it is in the centre, then the image seems to be a bit more static. As far as the orchids go, it is a little difficult to say without seeing the original, however you indicate that "I only wanted to show these three and some bokeh", where, in fact, you have actually cropped the one on the top right rather significantly, but, if this is the look you were going for then you have it. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

 

[dylanstraub]

Unfortunately I don't have the originals. I have limited hard drive space and a lot of stuff. Getting a new NAS soon so that shouldn't be a problem soon.

 

[dylanstraub]

So I've cropped anywhere from 25 to 40 percent out of some shots. Not everything gets cropped. I mostly do this because I like to fill most of the frame with my subject.

 

[photocist]

I think you need to focus more on composition than worrying about your cropping, judging from your flickrstream. Pay attention to your background!

 

[Rocan]

honestly speaking cropping is fine if they are images to be used on the web.

if you want large prints though, its a big no no, unless if your cropping less then 10 percent or have 12+ mp at your disposal.

 

[Forkie]

I use cropping all the time. As Overread said, you can't always get the shot right first time. I sometimes even take a shot with an idea in mind and then when I get it in Photoshop, change my mind and have to crop it or otherwise edit it to get what I want. I have also had photos go totally wrong and almost ditched them, but then managed to salvage them with a completely different crop/edit in Photoshop.

I view Photoshop or any other software as just another tool to help me turn the images I have in my head into reality.

 

[ann]

Be still my heart, you don;'t keep the orginals? Not a good idea.

Why not move your feet to get closer, espeically with those things that will allow that to happen; i.e. flowers, etc? A moving object is of course more difficult, but can be done.

As had been suggested, when you cropped out so much you lose quality for printing at any but a small size. There is nothing wrong with a cropping, it becomes a question of how much is too much.

 

[SlickSalmon]

Rocan and Forkie said it best. I almost always end up cropping my shots, even when I've composed them carefully. But, since I tend to print more than post on the web, I'm real careful not to go below the resolution minimum for my printer.