Question on cropping: Last week, we visited Pineland Farms in Maine and my sister asked me to take some photos for her. I rather liked this one of a pergola but it somehow seemed off...

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

Last week, we visited Pineland Farms in Maine and my sister asked me to take some photos for her. I rather liked this one of a pergola but it somehow seemed off balance so I cropped it, moving the pergola to the center of the frame. Just wondering which looks best? I once asked the same for a photo of Monticello and a couple of Hoggers cropped it for me, vastly improving the look.

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jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

I like the cropped version much better. There was nothing on the right side of the original that added to the image.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The second is far better and a great example of a subtle change that seems like the original but is much better than the original.

kpsk_sony

To me, the blah white sky and the green green grass seem rather non functional in the picture. Would you consider cropping both and making it a kind of panorma? It's your picture to do what you please.

Warhorse Loc: SE Michigan

I find that the crop looks much better.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

The crop is much better. Gives the eye a path to follow through the main subject, the pergola.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

So far as cropping - do whatever pleases. The most important thing to do is straighten the horizontal line of he pergola. IMHO.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

Delderby wrote:

So far as cropping - do whatever pleases. The most important thing to do is straighten the horizontal line of he pergola. IMHO.

I agree.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Actually, I prefer the first.
It presents more of the setting in which the pergola lives.
(But you know, everyone is different.)

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

fourlocks wrote:

Last week, we visited Pineland Farms in Maine and my sister asked me to take some photos for her. I rather liked this one of a pergola but it somehow seemed off balance so I cropped it, moving the pergola to the center of the frame. Just wondering which looks best? I once asked the same for a photo of Monticello and a couple of Hoggers cropped it for me, vastly improving the look.

Cropped.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

For me #2 is cozy and welcoming, with a really nice balance of natural framing in lower left and upper right.

#1 is more about the location, which is inviting because of the spacious lawns, gardens and fields. If I were to use that for advertising purposes, I'd want to lessen the brightness of the steps.

BebuLamar

Longshadow wrote:

Actually, I prefer the first.
It presents more of the setting in which the pergola lives.
(But you know, everyone is different.)

I like the uncropped one too. The background is interesting.

Quixdraw Loc: x

fourlocks wrote:

Last week, we visited Pineland Farms in Maine and my sister asked me to take some photos for her. I rather liked this one of a pergola but it somehow seemed off balance so I cropped it, moving the pergola to the center of the frame. Just wondering which looks best? I once asked the same for a photo of Monticello and a couple of Hoggers cropped it for me, vastly improving the look.

Yet another

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tnturk Loc: Gallatin Tennessee

Number 2 for me. First picture just looks confusing for me. Nice pic.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

fourlocks wrote:

Last week, we visited Pineland Farms in Maine and my sister asked me to take some photos for her. I rather liked this one of a pergola but it somehow seemed off balance so I cropped it, moving the pergola to the center of the frame. Just wondering which looks best? I once asked the same for a photo of Monticello and a couple of Hoggers cropped it for me, vastly improving the look.

I’m a big fan of cropping but in this case I far prefer the first. It gives a sense of place that is missing in the cropped image.
…Cam