Cropping: How much of a difference does it make?

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO IF for Canon

01/28/2004 12:19:01 PM · #1

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone preferrs any of the following crops over my actual Road Signs entry. They all came from exactly the same photo, but are just cropped in different ways and maybe slightly different post-processing. I thought it would be interesting to see how important making the right crop actually is.

The reason I chose the one that I did, is because I wanted the glow of the lights over in Wales (yep, it's a different country, hence my title). I liked the similar crop with the fence in the bottom more, but it is a lot harder to read the sign in that one as it had to be smaller. I thought this would put people off. In one of them I considered including the lights which created the flares at the top of my entry, but I thought they distracted too much from the sign when shown in their entirety.

deafwolf

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

01/28/2004 12:37:29 PM · #2

I like the left one on the bottom row that shows the railing there best.

1.jpg is the one I'm talking about.

Message edited by author 2004-01-28 12:38:39.

geewhy

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

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

01/28/2004 03:54:29 PM · #3

I think they all have something to offer but believe you made the right decision.
Cropping has got to be one of the important aspects of post processing..unless you happen to get it right first time and I don`t do that too often :-)

Gordon

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

01/28/2004 04:18:38 PM · #4

I also thought I'd like 1.jpg (vertical crop with the railing) better, but for the challenge I think you made the right choice, with the sign as the only foreground element and the cool lights and clouds in the background.

The horizontal shape also lets the lights trail off into infinity on the right, reinforcing the pointing element of the sign. I wish you had a teeny bit more backround to the left of the sign; it looks a little crowded up against the left edge.

I'll leave a version of this on the photo too ...

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

01/28/2004 04:20:56 PM · #5

Remind me again, why am I offering you advice ...?

Remember to do as I say, not as I do ....

01/28/2004 04:28:24 PM · #6

Thanks General :)

I'm still learning and need to take any advice that comes my way. The point about more space to the left is a good one, which I didn't think about before, thanks.

01/28/2004 04:39:24 PM · #7

the space he mentions ( to the left ) would also be a factor when matteing it.

the matte would butt up agaist the sign or very close to it.

01/28/2004 04:42:00 PM · #8

I never thought about matting my photos before. Are there specific compositional rules then, when you're planning to do this?

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

01/28/2004 04:43:28 PM · #9

not so much rules, but if your not matteing a full frame uncropped shot, its good to leave about 1/4" of extra print ( when you crop it ) becuase the matte gets attached to the print, so the overlap isnt going to be viewable once its matted.

EDIT: never thought about matteing prints? seems odd to hear. oh well
its not so hard but perfection is difficult - if you are ever going to show prints locally or whatever they will need to be matted.

Message edited by author 2004-01-28 16:44:35.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

01/28/2004 04:46:06 PM · #10

If there's room, you can always put the signpost on the 1/3 line and (almost) no one will complain.

If you're going to apply a matte, figure that about 1/4"/6mm of each side will be covered up. That's one reason I usually put a border on the print -- it gives more flexibility in that regard.

Message edited by author 2004-01-28 16:46:18.

01/28/2004 04:46:26 PM · #11

I've only ever shot for challenges, not for printing. I figured that if I ever printed a photo I'd just stick it to my wall or bung it straight into a frame, but like I said, I just do photography for DPC. I do put a 1/4" border on my DPCPrints images (8x10) so that none of the picture is covered up though.

01/28/2004 04:47:14 PM · #12

then there is the precut mattes that you can buy. and they are in standard sizes, i think the measurements of the opening take into consideration the overlap - so an 8x10 matte would have a 7.75x9.75 opening - dont quote me, but i think thats how it works. i cut my own mattes so i can matte any size - or use the matte itself to do the crop of a full frame shot.

01/28/2004 04:49:12 PM · #13

GeneralE leaves 1/4 per side - i use 1/8 per side./.. some times a bit more, but you get the idea

wkmen

Olympus SP-570 UZ

01/28/2004 04:56:14 PM · #14

IMHO, the last one, 4.jpg, illustrates "the edge" best. I think the complete railing and the horizontal composition paralleling the unseen horizontal of the water's edge is communicated most clearly in it.

Apart from the challenge theme, I think I like 1.jpg best, because it lacks the distraction of the far shore trailing off to the right. That's my 2 cents...

Message edited by author 2004-01-28 16:58:00.

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/28/2004 05:08:54 PM · #15

Originally posted by Konador:

You poor boy! lol the wrong frame [and no matte] will ruin any good photo. As a rule, stay away from gold or carved-like frames, simple black [or even flat metal] are the best frames to show off your picture. Fancy frames are art themselves and take away from a photo. In my own taste: the thicker the matte the better.

Edit: back on topic, your original entry is the best.

Message edited by author 2004-01-28 17:09:59.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

01/28/2004 06:13:50 PM · #16

yeah those metal frames you can buy that come in tons of sizes are cheap, and pretty good. then if you can cut your own glass, and mattes.

it sort of saves a ton of money, but takes a lot time as well.

but i asked a craft place about getting a 10x15" done recently, and it was pushing $100 plus the cost of the print itself. just standard stuff, not the archival materials.
so...

RHoldenSr

Canon EOS-5D

01/28/2004 06:15:33 PM · #17

I like 1.jpg and 4.jpg better.

The railing gives it more feeling, and mystery.
A feeling of being there and wanting to walk up to the railing.
More like it is out of Casablanca waiting for Humphrey Bogart to walk up.

The original doesn't fit the title of "On The Edge" IMO.
It is looking up at a road sign and have the city lights low on the horizon? I don't get On The Edge with the orig.

Just my 2 cents worth

inspzil

Olympus E-510

Sigma 50-500mm f/4.0-6.3 EX APO RF HSM for Olympus

01/28/2004 06:42:49 PM · #18

I've been told in my local camera club meetings that generally its not a good idea to have a fence in the picture unless the theme you're going for shows some type of restraint or denial to an area. It sort of follows in the landscape rule where there should always be a place for the viewer to "enter" the photo. A fence does the contrary and prevents that.

Actually I like the portrait oriented one (1.jpg), but you might want to crop it to keep a good aspect ratio while still cutting the fence out of it. It would bring the lights in the distance a little closer and make the sign a little bigger while maintaining the height perceived by the sign.

Just temper this a little since it isn't coming from a reliable source - Bob

Message edited by author 2004-01-28 18:43:46.

deafwolf

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO IF for Canon

01/28/2004 06:54:00 PM · #19

OK, so many like the edge, I stand behind my first selection, but the question was, for the challenge and since it was signs, I felt that emphasizing the sign and allowing the horizon to add to the depth of the photo (I would have cropped a tad more to the right on the 1.jpg because of the great clouds) and enhance, not take away from the subject of the shot. Just my subjective opinion though. :)