Get it right in the camera except. Get it right in the camera except.. should one leave room for objects near the edges that you don't want cut off when applying distortion control?

par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.

Get it right in the camera except..
should one leave room for objects near the edges that you don't want cut off when applying distortion control?

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

par4fore wrote:

Get it right in the camera except..
should one leave room for objects near the edges that you don't want cut off when applying distortion control?

I always leave a bit of room around the edges, not thinking of distortion control so much as about scrapbooking. When making my scrapbook pages it can be very effective to overlap photos a bit. Having that bit of extra room, gives me the space to overlap.

Another reason I leave that extra bit of room, is that it gives me some control about where in the photo an object is going to be.
"Oh my, the whole photo would have looked better if that tree had been a bit more to the right..."
Especially now tht Photoshop Elements give suggested crops, I find it a bonus to have that bit of extra space all around.

mrjcall Loc: Woodfin, NC

par4fore wrote:

Get it right in the camera except..
should one leave room for objects near the edges that you don't want cut off when applying distortion control?

Of course. Bracketing exposures is also a good idea as is some judicious post processing. In camera results can ALWAYS be improved on. 8-)

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

par4fore wrote:

Get it right in the camera except..
should one leave room for objects near the edges that you don't want cut off when applying distortion control?

I often apply different crop ratios to images. So extra space around the subject gives you secondary stuff you can crop off if need be.

I mean, say you get a really great image and someone sees it and wants to buy a copy, but they prefer/want/need a square image to hang. You need extra on one or both ends of the full image that can be cropped off.

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

Many of my images are purchased and framed by my clients, so I think about the edges when I'm making a shot, making sure there's nothing critical at the very edge of the viewfinder that might look odd if it was covered by a mat or frame.

That said, I don't think this is an excuse for "loose" cropping. I think you should get the crop right in the field, not drop 1/3rd of the image off when you get home.

par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.

Good point about the aspect ratio consideration, Thanks!

robertjerl wrote:

I often apply different crop ratios to images. So extra space around the subject gives you secondary stuff you can crop off if need be.

I mean, say you get a really great image and someone sees it and wants to buy a copy, but they prefer/want/need a square image to hang. You need extra on one or both ends of the full image that can be cropped off.

par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.

Thanks for you thoughts Steve, I'm a fan of your work and videos.

Steve Perry wrote:

Many of my images are purchased and framed by my clients, so I think about the edges when I'm making a shot, making sure there's nothing critical at the very edge of the viewfinder that might look odd if it was covered by a mat or frame.

That said, I don't think this is an excuse for "loose" cropping. I think you should get the crop right in the field, not drop 1/3rd of the image off when you get home.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

par4fore wrote:

Good point about the aspect ratio consideration, Thanks!

Many images just look better square, and DSLRs don't do square.
But within those constraints fill the frame with the important stuff.

Perhaps a slight firmware tweak by the OEMs would give the option of having a square grid show in the viewfinder like most show the rule of thirds.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Good points, all -- I still try to compose every shot in the viewfinder. I do little pp, though I may find a better crop inside the original image than what I first saw. To each his own!

MtnMan Loc: ID

robertjerl wrote:

Many images just look better square, and DSLRs don't do square.
But within those constraints fill the frame with the important stuff.

Perhaps a slight firmware tweak by the OEMs would give the option of having a square grid show in the viewfinder like most show the rule of thirds.

Some do almost. The Nikon D8xx has five image areas one of which is close.

Alas, Nikon seems to prefer a rule of fourths grid. :thumbdown:

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

par4fore wrote:

Thanks for you thoughts Steve, I'm a fan of your work and videos.

Thanks :)

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

par4fore wrote:

Get it right in the camera except..
should one leave room for objects near the edges that you don't want cut off when applying distortion control?

TRULY getting it right in camera means taking all the desired results you want into consideration BEFORE depressing the shutter release button, and making sure your equipment and settings will help you meet those goals.

If you take a picture you KNOW will be post processed removing the edges, then why fill the frame if only to lose your desired content? That is NOT an example of getting it right. :lol:

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

As a Wedding photographer using 35 mm film I had to get it right in the camera. That means that you have to leave enough space at the ends so you can crop enough off and still have everyone in the pictures. You have to do this with DSLR's too. - Dave

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Morning Star wrote:

I always leave a bit of room around the edges, not... (show quote)

:thumbup:

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

par4fore wrote:

Get it right in the camera except..
should one leave room for objects near the edges that you don't want cut off when applying distortion control?

"Getting it right in camera" is typically more about getting the exposure and composition right to avoid trying to "FIX" it in PP. Most everyone knows to always leave a little extra around the edges so the image can be cropped to fit standard print sizes like 8x10 or 11x14 which do not conform to the 3:2 proportions of the Full Frame and APS-C sensors.