Cropping Out Background Stuff VS Rule of Thirds: I am currently working on the Sweet Sixteen photos I shot last night, and I am running into a mild quandary... While cropping, is it...

tomcadman Loc: SoCal USA

I am currently working on the Sweet Sixteen photos I shot last night, and I am running into a mild quandary...

While cropping, is it better to violate the rule of thirds alignment in order to eliminate background items? Or is there another way to deal with background items and maintain Rule of Thirds?

Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Hey Tom, "Rule of Thirds" is not applicable to all images and there are many times a different composition would be stronger. Can you click "reply" and upload a couple of examples, such as candids or formally posed portraits etc. "Dealing with background" after a shot does require editing (or just cropping, yes), but no one can make a meaningful suggestion without seeing what you have.

There may be some easy fixes; or there may not

Bunkershot Loc: Central Florida

You, as the photographer, have to be the judge. If you don't violate the rule of thirds and you have a bunch of unwanted stuff in the background it will still be a bad composition. Your best bet is to learn to be very observant of the shot in the first place so that the background is clean...

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

tomcadman wrote:

I am currently working on the Sweet Sixteen photos I shot last night, and I am running into a mild quandary...

While cropping, is it better to violate the rule of thirds alignment in order to eliminate background items? Or is there another way to deal with background items and maintain Rule of Thirds?

Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

In my opinion, rules are made to be broken. If you like it, it works.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Linda From Maine wrote:

Hey Tom, "Rule of Thirds" is not applica... (show quote)

As Linda implied the rule of thirds isn't a rule at all, more like a guide. "Occasion photos" are more like journalistic photos than art photos. the main intent is to convey the atmosphere of the party. If after those considerations are met and you can still adhere to 'Da rules" then by all means.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Rich1939 wrote:

... the main intent is to convey the atmosphere of the party...

And the only thing the subjects in those photos are going to care about is how they look

tomcadman Loc: SoCal USA

Okay... so for "occasion photos" crop out the background junk, when possible, with less adherence to the rules, if necessary... yet, I do find the rules often make the "occasion photo" more appealing, so... maybe sometimes such photos call for using repair tools on the background objects to keep the appealing crop?

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Linda From Maine wrote:

And the only thing the subjects in those photos are going to care about is how they look

Oh yeah

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

tomcadman wrote:

Okay... so for "occasion photos" crop out the background junk, when possible, with less adherence to the rules, if necessary... yet, I do find the rules often make the "occasion photo" more appealing, so... maybe sometimes such photos call for using repair tools on the background objects to keep the appealing crop?

As long as the 'appealing' is to the people in the photos, use all the tools at your disposal to bring up the quality

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

tomcadman wrote:

Okay... so for "occasion photos" crop out the background junk, when possible, with less adherence to the rules, if necessary... yet, I do find the rules often make the "occasion photo" more appealing, so... maybe sometimes such photos call for using repair tools on the background objects to keep the appealing crop?

"Repair tools" - something we tend to notice right away, when we're looking at photos that don't include ourselves in the picture, that is

...are bright areas. Darkening, cloning, blurring, changing a color - all possibilities but again depends on your experience with editing and what the objects are. But as mentioned earlier, you are the photographer, so aside from the subjects (especially the birthday girl!) or a paying client, you're the one you have to please.

tomcadman Loc: SoCal USA

Understood... thanks all... this has been helpful to a newbie.

Ever-learning,
-Tom

TheStarvingArtist

Can you post an example?

tomcadman Loc: SoCal USA

Sorry, I missed your last post, TheStarvingArtist... I have been taking above advice, letting rules slide because of genre, and powering through the photo set. I would be glad to post something but the need is gone.

LarryFB Loc: Depends where our RV is parked

Linda From Maine wrote:

"Repair tools" - something we tend to no... (show quote)

Linda From Maine has made a number of posts on this, and she is absolutely right!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

tomcadman wrote:

I am currently working on the Sweet Sixteen photos I shot last night, and I am running into a mild quandary...

While cropping, is it better to violate the rule of thirds alignment in order to eliminate background items? Or is there another way to deal with background items and maintain Rule of Thirds?

Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

In a situation like that - a party - I would think the people would be more important than the background. Unless the background is especially inappropriate or distracting, leave it there. In LR, you can decrease the Shadows slider to darken the background.