Craigdca Loc: California

Thanks for seeing this and commenting. For now this a free form crop, but you’re right that the final presentation makes a difference especially if switching to portrait orientation.
I’m finding that it works for me to start with the rule of thirds and then adjust for balance by eyeballing it. I needed to hear from everyone on this one since the motion aspect was a challenge this time.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Ultimately you want to develop your own independent sense of visual balance. The rule of thirds can provide a starting point but the trouble with rules is that they can become inhibitive if they don't point you in the optimum direction. And sometimes composition can be about balance v deliberate imbalance.

anotherview Loc: California

Effective image composition involves not only visual balance but also a sense of the graphic qualities involved. Wordlessly and sub-consciously, human perception detects the weight of an image.

Ken Rockwell puts it this way: "To make a good photo, its composition needs to speak most strongly to our subconscious.

"It's not about the details or the subject. It's what your subconscious pulls out of it all without thinking."

(found at: https://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/composition.htm)

Hip Coyote

I do not think the crop works. The crop / enlargement introduces way too much noise. The other thing I noticed is that you were using a high-ish ISO but had the lens ap stopped down to f11. The ss was good, but I'd consider opening that aperture up, dropping the ISO and even speeding up the ss to get a sharper image. That water should be very sharp as should the surfer. They are not. The 1MP shot in jpeg really limits what you are doing in post. SD cards are cheap and therefore shoot as big a file as you can in case you do want to crop tightly. Additionally, the jpeg really limits your post opportunities. All the layers, masking in the world would be better served if you shot in RAW (here we go on that topic!).

As others noted, it may be better to get the surfer heading into the frame.IMO, not out of the frame. That is preferred but not always easy to do!

One option to save the photo would be to really make it more like a painting rather than a photo...it might make a very nice abstract where it is obvious that it is a surfer, but more "painterly". Give it a try!

Hi from Simi Valley BTW. Pasadena is a great town!

Hip Coyote

good point

Craigdca Loc: California

Hello to Simi Valley as well! I appreciate the comments and tips to save this image, and may try the painting effect that calls for such poor quality in the original, LOL. I’m happy to say I use RAW and love it. I was also using a Tokina 80-400mm lens with no IS on an 18MP Canon T2i and used F11’s DOF in hopes of better sharpness. But with too much crop and dark shadows, it wasn’t the best.

So I wanted to learn more about cropping and everyone had some helpful tips. I’m also planning to buy a Canon R6 hoping the IBIS can save my long lens, provide better focusing and less noise.

Thanks for seeing my post and adding your advice

Hip Coyote

A good photo place is the Reagan Library, in case you've never been....\


Best

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Problem is, there is too much critiquing of the critic and not the image. Why make this onto a "Rockwell" thiong when it shod be the IMAGE thing?

Not everyone is goon look at every image the same wat and there are various considerations. Here is my takl or remarks:

It is not a "portal" of the surfer but a storytelling shot of surfing! I lie the negative space in FRONT of the surfer so it seems he is moving in the space, not in the edge of the frame. I might have cropped out more of the foam but I think it is an important element of the story- it illustrated the strength of the current and lends to the action.

The surfer is in almost silhouette-like shadow so bringing up the shading detail shows more of his expression, physique and body position- all part of the story.

Certainly, it is good or avoids distractions in the background but not if there are details, compositional elements and storytelling aspects in the backgrounds. Composition rules are good basics but they need to be modified to address the motif of the image.

If I were "custom printing" this image for the OP- this is what I would do- see attached versions:

Craigdca Loc: California

We’ve been a couple times including for the Genghis Khan exhibition and thought anyone would enjoy it regardless of political persuasion. Getting our photo coming out of Air Force One was pretty fun, too.

I definitely have to go back now that I’m into photography since the setting is amazing.

Craigdca Loc: California

You’re right about critiquing the image as I was mostly learning about how to crop it. I was uncomfortable with cropping in too tightly and losing the space in front of the surfer. I think your first image works very well as the surfer has room to move and is large enough as the subject without getting too lost in the scene.

The exposure and resolution challenge was probably too much for this shot even though it was raw, but I still like the energy.

I’m looking forward to put everyone’s suggestions together and see what happens.