What about the arms? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

07/13/2006 09:16:31 AM · #1

I was recently in Venice (Yippie!) and came across an early morning photoshoot where I took this pic.

The model seems a little too small in the composition and I would like to crop to something like this:

but what about the arms, what are my options?
Thanks

acrotide

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

07/13/2006 09:25:38 AM · #2

Personally, I don't mind the cropped off arms shot...I like the up close and personal feel. I'm curious what it would look like if you were to crop above her head and below her hands instead so that her arms would remain in the shot, though it may look too centered. Just a thought.

goc

Apple iPhone 4

07/13/2006 09:29:21 AM · #3

sumtin' like this ?

yea, beautiful !

Message edited by author 2006-07-13 09:32:28.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

07/13/2006 09:32:43 AM · #4

Originally posted by acrotide:

Good plan, I like it!

acrotide

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

07/13/2006 09:37:53 AM · #5

Originally posted by gooc:

sumtin' like this ?

yea, beautiful !

Yeah, I like that one better. Not quite as close, but the arms are in the shot.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

07/13/2006 09:42:36 AM · #6

I agree that it's better if the arms are in the shot. If one has to cut them, what are the rules, if any?

adyus

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

07/13/2006 09:45:44 AM · #7

Just an opinion, but I find that anything above the elbows (knees for legs) looks decent enough.

darnok

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

07/13/2006 10:11:35 AM · #8

Originally posted by wsteyn:

I agree that it's better if the arms are in the shot. If one has to cut them, what are the rules, if any?

I think the main thing to do is to avoid cutting limbs at joints.

kteach

Nikon D50

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6

07/13/2006 10:17:13 AM · #9

fotomann_forever wrote a tutorial on "What Do I Do with My Hands?" and said...

"Never crop a shot at the wrist (or any other joint). Cropping at joints creates an artificial amputation in the mind of the viewer. For hands, never crop the shot any lower than mid forearm. You will save your viewers much unneeded trauma."

If you'd like to read the entire tutorial, its here.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

07/13/2006 10:22:56 AM · #10

Originally posted by kteach:

fotomann_forever wrote a tutorial on "What Do I Do with My Hands?" and said...

Thanks!

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

07/13/2006 10:28:12 AM · #11

I think this is your best crop:

the model's arms look unnatural, it's best to crop them. Never mind "don't crop at the joints." I'm sure it applies in most situations, but there are no hard and fast rules for what makes a good picture.

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

07/13/2006 10:43:13 AM · #12

Was about to post the same thing as postH...

I agree that the portrait orientation is your better crop.

I think that the first crop looks great with the pigeons, but I think you lost a bit when you missed her feet. I think that the crop with her legs is a bit more difficult...

If you had her feet, I think I would have liked the pigeons... Don't think it would have been a portrait though...

I'm experimenting with broader areas for my portrait shots and I find it difficult too..

Ultimately, it comes down to PH's last statement.

xianart

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

07/13/2006 10:52:24 AM · #13

how about this? the movement on her right arm is lovely - a beautiful gesture. this also adds drama and expectation to the whole image.

Message edited by author 2006-07-13 10:53:09.

carisakD70

Nikon D70

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

07/13/2006 12:16:20 PM · #14

What do you do when you want to print the image? The various crops are fine for web viewing, but if you print it you will have to crop it differently, correct?

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

07/14/2006 12:34:52 AM · #15

I usually print with a border around my photos so I can cut the picture down without running into size conflicts.

Matte's work great to make things work with frames.

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

07/14/2006 12:43:53 AM · #16

IMO, this needed to be a landscape orientated shot so the ones that are closest to that (i.e. gooc and xianart) I tend to like the best. The arms cut off especially at the wrists bother me.

ETA: With that background you could easily make it a landscape shot if you wanted to in photoshop if you couldn't simply reshoot the image.

Message edited by author 2006-07-14 00:44:49.