To Crop or not to crop? Hi, I am fairly new to photo editing and have a bit of trouble with the concept of manipulation and cropping of photos. I just feel that especially with...

stevenh0027 Loc: Melbourne Australia

Hi, I am fairly new to photo editing and have a bit of trouble with the concept of manipulation and cropping of photos.
I just feel that especially with composition that I should get it right when pointing the camera rather than later on.
Am I just being silly?
Here are a couple of images - one cropped and the other as it was. I could not get closer to the subject so to limit the image to the flowers I had to crop.

What are your thoughts?

(Download)

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

stevenh0027 wrote:

Hi, I am fairly new to photo editing and have a bit of trouble with the concept of manipulation and cropping of photos.
I just feel that especially with composition that I should get it right when pointing the camera rather than later on.
Am I just being silly?
Here are a couple of images - one cropped and the other as it was. I could not get closer to the subject so to limit the image to the flowers I had to crop.

What are your thoughts?

not to be over critical, but the photo is out of focus. to show a close up, the crop is fine if all you wish to do is to post it in social media, but any attempt to print the image will fail. also, as far as composition, the water is too murky to make an exceptional or acceptable photo. as to your overall question, cropping is fine when needed, but will sometimes diminish the image when wanting to print. hopefully I did not offend you, but I was just trying to give an honest critique to your photo and answer to your question.

stevenh0027 Loc: Melbourne Australia

Thanks Orrie,
No offence taken.
Constructive criticism is the only way to improve.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

crop for a balanced image, i like your crop.
Correct the white balance
Pull back on the highlights
up the contrast
a light touch of sharpening.
It won't fix the picture but it will improve it substantially.

Lou Salamon Loc: Calabash, nc

I would crop further, removing some of the foreground water below the pads, as well as some of the expanse above. Shifting the composition a little to the right also removes it from dead center. Try those ideas; see if it appeals to you. ABOVE all, do it as you like. I tend to be fond of off center photographs. I agree with other comments about the water being murky....you might see how changing the contrast might provide an ethereal feel. Have fun!

stevenh0027 Loc: Melbourne Australia

thanks

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Coming from film, with my first digital camera (about 8 years ago), I was very careful with compositions. Kept remembering a b&w film instructor yelling "check the edges of the frame!"

I also only had an 18-55 mm lens so I was more restricted by the possible compositions to begin with.

I greatly applaud your wanting to carefully compose and think about the story you want to tell while you are out there with your subjects. For a few reasons, I'm drifting away from that more often, but do have times that I get the composition exactly as I want it in-camera.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I prefer the first version; the second one looks top-heavy to me.

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

While there is nothing wrong with trying to get it right in the camera, and not cropping later it does restrict you to the camera format 3:2 in most cases.
I very much prefer to crop in post processing as that allows me the freedom to chose any format, square, long and narrow, vertical or horizontal.
I crop to suit the image which is not always possible 'in camera'.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

rwilson1942 wrote:

While there is nothing wrong with trying to get it right in the camera, and not cropping later it does restrict you to the camera format 3:2 in most cases.
I very much prefer to crop in post processing as that allows me the freedom to chose any format, square, long and narrow, vertical or horizontal.
I crop to suit the image which is not always possible 'in camera'.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

This is what I would do if the photograph was mine.

Canonman333 Loc: Far Northern End of California

orrie smith wrote:

not to be over critical, but the photo is out of f... (show quote)

Agreed....with all the points raised in this reply.

Pixelmaster Loc: New England

There is a lot to "save" in an image if you are doing it for art's sake. Not for publication as this is a distortion of what you photographed.
That said here is quick version to fix some of the things you might want to change giving that you have a copy of Photoshop and know how
to use the tools. Hope this helps.

warrior Loc: Paso Robles CA

camerapapi wrote:

This is what I would do if the photograph was mine.

I would make a tight crop and then used Topaz filters to enhance!

Calsnap Loc: Seattle/Montana/San Diego

Like you, I have always tried to "get it right", more and more often I find that I want to change the ratio and end up having to decide what to lose from my original. So now my thought to myself is to pull back a little so I can crop for best effect or change the ratio without losing any of my subject.