Opinions solicited on best composition to tll the story: Over the weekend I took a number of pictures of the fire trucks from a local volunteer Rural Fire Department (RFD). The...

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

Over the weekend I took a number of pictures of the fire trucks from a local volunteer Rural Fire Department (RFD).

The original intent was to create a portfolio of the engines to be used in a future web site. Just the same it seems to me that a story can and should be told with each image when possible.

I am only concerned with composition. Nothing has been done in post other than creating jpgs so I have not included originals.

So! If you are only doing one image per engine which one of the three presented would you utilize?

Original image

Moderate crop

Tight crop

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Silvermeteor wrote:

Over the weekend I took a number of pictures of th... (show quote)

The moderate one. It shows a lot of detail, more so than the first one. The inclusion of the surroundings locates the fire engine, unlike the last image, which has it rather isolated. One has to guess at what the building is, in the background.
--Bob

Bill_de Loc: US

I would go somewhere between 1 & 2. I agree with Bob, but don't like the far garage door cut off.

--

twowindsbear

Since you say you want to show the engines - then, SHOW THEM . . . the tight crop.

On the other hand, IF you really want to show the fire department, fire station, fire house - use the moderate crop.

IMHO, of course

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

rmalarz wrote:

The moderate one. It shows a lot of detail, more so than the first one. The inclusion of the surroundings locates the fire engine, unlike the last image, which has it rather isolated. One has to guess at what the building is, in the background.
--Bob

Thanks for your opinion Bob.

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

Bill_de wrote:

I would go somewhere between 1 & 2. I agree with Bob, but don't like the far garage door cut off.

--

Thanks for your opinion Bill. One of my original reasons for the crop was to minimize the road in front of the station. It is a very large area of dead space that contributes little to the image. I will consider revising the crop and making it a little less tight.

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

twowindsbear wrote:

Since you say you want to show the engines - then, SHOW THEM . . . the tight crop.

On the other hand, IF you really want to show the fire department, fire station, fire house - use the moderate crop.

IMHO, of course

Oh boy! Three replies and one for each. lol This may not be as easy as I thought. lol Thanks for your reply.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Silvermeteor wrote:

Oh boy! Three replies and one for each. lol This may not be as easy as I thought. lol Thanks for your reply.

True, but twowindsbear nailed it.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

The web site will identify the station. I would go with the tighter crop because it draws your attention right to the truck. The building doesn't seem that important to me because it doesn't look like a typical fire house, it could be any building. and the sign is difficult to read.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

The moderate crop for sense of place. I like the flags and the sign, even if difficult to read. The cut-off door won't be noticed by anyone but a photographer :)

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

jim quist wrote:

The web site will identify the station. I would go with the tighter crop because it draws your attention right to the truck. The building doesn't seem that important to me because it doesn't look like a typical fire house, it could be any building. and the sign is difficult to read.

Thanks for your reply.

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

Linda From Maine wrote:

The moderate crop for sense of place. I like the flags and the sign, even if difficult to read. The cut-off door won't be noticed by anyone but a photographer :)

I'm leaning towards the moderate crop. I believe that it gives a pretty good view of the truck but the inclusion of the sign and flag provide some balance, extra interest and a sense of space.

Thanks for your input.