St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

The following is an Open Challenge on Composition.

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- See http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-165203-1.html in the Photo Critique & Analysis Forum for the backstory and how this relates.

Cropping From The Inside Out -

Have you ever read a book that is filled with too many words and wished it got to the point? Images can be like that too. A trick to fix this is not to Crop In removing items piece-by-piece, but rather to Crop Out adding what you like stopping as soon as you see something that does not add to the story. (More on this in the Case Study below.)

How To See A Scene -

It may seem silly, but one of the best ways to see an image is to make your hands into a director’s square* and view through it moving as needed. The problem we face when we look at an image is that our eyes take everything in, then we look through the viewfinder and loose most of it, so to compensate we add too much back into our photographs.
*The Director’s Square http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/sustainable/sustainable-news/comp

What To Do -

When you look at a potential image think about what drew you to it, what’s the focal point. Now play a game where you ask yourself, “If I could only keep one part of it which would I choose?” then mentally edit and add only if you need to.

A Case Study -

In the original photograph below, of the ranch, the mountain and field, what’s the focal point? Let’s assume the ranch, so we have to keep that. Does it stand alone without the mountain? Of course, but does the mountain add something to the scene? Yes, so let's keep that too. The fence is a tricky one. It’s part of the ranch, but can be cropped out if needed. In this case, it adds flare so we’ll keep it too. Onto the field then, some foreground and background are necessary, but this is where we need our director’s square to determine how much. Too little and we lose perspective, too much and we lose our focal point. In the end, it all comes back to what brought us here. The ranch set against the mountain, so that’s where we start. The cropped image below shows one result.

Another Way To Look At It -

Another variant of this game is what I call ‘Versus.’ It’s really the same thing, but what you do is think, “If I Had To Choose Between This Or That Which Would I Choose?” then you mentally force yourself to pick one piece of the scene over the other and continue from there. As shown, in the images below you may end up with more than one winner, like the ranch and the mountain, but the idea is to determine what’s necessary and what’s filler.

An Exercise From The Original Post -

Go out and look at a scene, a landscape if you will, frame and shoot it the way you would, then play the game, taking several other shots while cropping in more and more. The item of focus should remain, but with each shot you remove a little until you can no more. Now process the images and decide which you like and why.

Here’s a thought. There is a photo of a man, from head to toe. There is another of just the expression on his face. Which do you like better?”

On to the challenge…

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Before & After – An Open Challenge – A Look At Composition

Find a scene, most anything will do, be it an amazing landscape as offered below or a hedge row with flowers, and really look at it. Take your time and study it, now shoot it, and process it any way you like. This is your Before.

The Challenge – Crop Out Not In -

Typically when we look at an image we look to crop from the outside in saying, “If I zoom in to remove a little around the border will it look the way I want?” The Challenge then is to look from the inside out. Find your focal point, that thing that brought you to the image in the first place. If it was the ranch and the mountain I would use the ranch, if a hedge row with flowers I would focus on the flowers and more than likely one in particular. With your focal point in mind take some paper, or even your hands, and cover the image on your screen to remove everything except the focal point. Once you have that move out and away from the image. When something new comes into view stop and ask, “Is This Necessary and Does This Help The Focal Point?” Continue out until you feel that resounding ‘No!” This is your After.

Is the way you would have cropped it before this challenge?

If you have made it this far and have a Before and After post them here giving a descriptive account of everything you went though. Was this gibberish and not helpful at all or did this change the way you crop and more importantly the way you photograph? Tell it all knowing that what you say may be obvious to you, but could help someone else along their path.

Have fun and good luck! Steve

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One Last Thing -

I leave you with a bit of advice in the form of a personal challenge.
Once again, find a scene, most anything will do, and really look at it. Spend all the time you need to really take it in. Now turn completely away from it, close your eyes and describe it. Imagine you are talking to someone who is blind so explain everything from the light to the colors to the composition to the wind and the sun and the rain and the smell; anything and everything that describes the image you saw. Now open your eyes turn back to your image and look again. How much did you really see?

“Until You Understand The Image You Will Never Find It’s Soul” -- SM

the original - more or less - By Linda From Maine


My quick crop suggestion By Photographer Jim

dragonswing Loc: Pa

The cropped photo looks a bit squished to me.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

It is just an example of what can be done, but I do thank you for your feedback as everything helps!

robert-photos Loc: Chicago

Steve: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

BUT....I disagree with the example.

By cropping and condensing the photo the openness and feel of the original is lost. The negative space which is being cropped out substantially added to the emotion evoked by the original.

Just my opinion....that's all.

On second look I would probably crop out some sky or foreground only thereby changing the aspect ratio to more of a panorama.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

I have a feeling this is not going to go well.
- Pass the eggnog!

lightchime Loc: Somewhere Over The Rainbow

I followed a similar blog the other day and I read the commentary and suggestions above.

I went through the process and in my opinion a crop was required.

I think the second image is inferior to the original. It is simply not a matter of cutting off the mountain or the foreground. I feel that the proposed crop is simply a failure. Reason: the cutting off the barn and the fence was simply inelegant. There was not enough consideration to the barn (the most important part of the image) and its associated structure.

I consider the original to have an excess of low value image and the nice landscape is a detraction from the barn and significant part of the mountain.

robert-photos Loc: Chicago

I added a further comment to my post.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Probably a Jerry Maguire Moment, but we'll see.
- I'm more curious than anything is anyone will do the work.

robert-photos Loc: Chicago

Before I move on....
With the original my initial look is at the mountain and because of the leading lines my eye goes to the barn and then back to the mountain etc.
With the crop my eye goes to the barn and stays there....IMO boring.

Steve, thanks for starting ths discussion.

Rbrylawski Loc: Tampa, FL

I really REALLY appreciate you taking the time to offer your thoughts and for me, education. But to my non-professionally trained eye, I prefer the first (not cropped) picture. I think the sense of space and depth is simply amazing, which is simply not in the cropped version.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write about this. I understand what you were going for, but I think the picture example didn't bring your point home as well as it could have.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

I believe what Steve would like folks to do is take a photograph, then crop from the inside out following his procedure, and finally to post both images here on the thread, explaining your thought process relative to Steve's challenge.

That's it in a nutshell (I think), if not, hopefully Steve will correct me. 8-)

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! :)

bedgmon Loc: Burleson, Texas

Steve, please give me some time. I may not get to the assignment until late next week. I AM going to work this one, but two toddlers at my house until next week will limit me.
I will be anxious to see other's results. :)

Elliern Loc: Myrtle Beach, SC

I understand the lesson, but I think a better subject might have been selected.
To me, it is not simply that the barn is the focal point. But the barn that is all alone, in the middle if that vast open prarie. With nothing between it and the snow topped mountain.
In the cropped photo, it is simply a photo of a barn with a snow topped mountain behind it. It loses the emotion and 'feel' of the original.

bedgmon Loc: Burleson, Texas

For all of you that are disappointed about the given example, I suggest you go to the forum that sparked the idea. In our excitement, it was suggested that Steve give an opportunity for us to post. I am extremely interested in getting better at composition and I wish to have more ideas and exercises with feedback that will help. In an old saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water." Please encourage.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Always! Happy Holidays!