Do You Often Crop Images? Technique?

Cropping is an art in its own right. I do my best to crop in the viewfinder before taking the picture, but if I can make something look better by cropping out unnecessary subject material at a later time, I do it.

Jim Bielecki
 
The two crops that some of you prefer show the man on the left side of the image and not in the center. I also felt this way after seeing the uncropped image.

The man ended up being dead center because I was walking under a street and came out in front of the man without much room to maneuvre and I hesitated to quickly take photo or not.

I used to prefer not to alter any transparency at all,but I got called a few things at PN when posting unaltered images. Then, from using PS to improve how an image looks on the monitor, I tried out some cropping. It is a rare event for me.

It is interesting to read of your different views. Thanks.
 
Last edited:
This is great Raid ... you've inspired a worthwhile discussion with this thread. Being very new to photography I really like to hear both arguments for and against cropping! I must admit an image I'm totally happy with that I don't have to crop at all is very satisfying ... but I feel no guilt when I do crop.:) If one sees a scene and imagines it in the viewing frame but a decision is made to shoot it with a 90mm instead of a 35mm lens, the end result may be the same as an intelligent crop!

I think digital cameras with huge sensors that can produce an enormous file are a trap however and could cause laziness with a tendency to take the habit too far!
 
Keith,

If someone does photography as a job, then all means are fair to get the best publishable image out. When it is some photographers like me and many others here, we are "serious amateurs" who find pride in capturing good images on film [or digital ... but not me].

I usually stay away from digital photography and "finishing" since I am unwilling to spend the required computer time to get the most out of digital images. It is an oldfashioned but satisfying approach to get it right the first time. Enough talk on digital vs. ...

I have used cropping only for critique feedback so far. After getting an image for possible online critique, I sometimes start wondering whether other people would like the image maybe in B&W and not color and whether a crop would appear as more interesting. It is curiosity in my case. I usually get 8x12 prints from my transparencies and negatives ... never crops. I stay away from 8x10 prints even when they used to be much cheaper than 8x12 full frame prints.
 
... but I feel no guilt when I do crop.
Click to expand...

i don't think I don't crop from guilt. The process of photographing is a very personal one for me (and it is for me). I guess the end result is not the only part of this that gives significance to photography for me. I guess I could ask my subjects to pose as well, but that decreases the satifaction of the challenge of "being there."

Now, I am not posting here to convince folks to shoot full frame. Each person has to develop their own relationship to their art. But I think there is little insight about why photographers want to work this way.
 
This thread has made me realize that the older I've gotten, the less I crop. The prints I made when I was in my 20's are almost all cropped. Now I only crop to correct a tilted horizon or some other gross error.

Richard
 
Dektol Dan said:
Folks who lean on cropping are most likely amateurs. ...Cropping is for snapshootists.
Click to expand...
I guess you've never heard of Andre Kertesz- or do you think he's an amateur?

Sure, it's a good idea to work on composition in camera, and we all should; but it's a mistake to stop that process there, especially for dogmatic reasons.
 
Raid

Raid

Personally I would crop just a little from the right side in and just eliminate a very little of the steps. If he is experiencing despair the the vast emptiness might be in front of him. Just a thought. But then again, maybe he was just fatigued and wanted a brief respite.Your uncropped photo is great as it is. My 2 cents.
 
Raid

Raid

Personally I would crop just a little from the right side to have the figure of the man slightly off center and just eliminate a very little of the steps. If he is experiencing despair the the vast emptiness might be in front of him. Just a thought. But then again, maybe he was just fatigued and wanted a brief respite.Your uncropped photo is great as it is. My 2 cents.
 
I don't like cropping...was not happy printing with standard size easels...then decided to use them BUT not print to the edges...I will expose the full frame with in the opening of the easel...I have been happier printing since then...

Just started with the 645 format and will print within the 8x10 format...just a hair off the ends is all you lose...
 
I like to think I can compose the image I want in the viewfinder, but there are occasions (many) when I was just off, or didn't see "something" in frame at the time of shooting.

I don't crop much, but when I do I try to keep the rectangle shape of 35mm (when shooting film, or digi)

Raid, IMHO the uncropped image is best by far.

Cheers,
B.
 
leica M2 fan said:
Personally I would crop just a little from the right side to have the figure of the man slightly off center and just eliminate a very little of the steps. If he is experiencing despair the the vast emptiness might be in front of him. Just a thought. But then again, maybe he was just fatigued and wanted a brief respite.Your uncropped photo is great as it is. My 2 cents.
Click to expand...

You said something that has been on my mind; maybe the man just "looks" in despair, when in fact he was just hot and fatigued. It was a hot day, and I was sweating and feeling hot myself.
 
a photographer who doesn't crop is like a writer who doesn't edit.

this no cropping rule that some adopt seems foolish, like we're perfect to begin with.
writers and poets always edit and a good photographer will crop if it makes the image stronger.
btw, i prefer ruben's crop.
joe
 
ruben said:
Hi Raid,

In general i do crop when needed. But in the sample you are bringing, to my taste and view, you are not making any serious difference by cropping, unless you could show all cropped images at aprox the same total square size as the former.

attachment.php



Kindly excuss my translation freedom overtaken without previous notice.

Cheers,
Ruben
Click to expand...

Hi Ruben,
I thank you for your crop.
It brings out the man.
 
back alley said:
a photographer who doesn't crop is like a writer who doesn't edit.

this no cropping rule that some adopt seems foolish, like we're perfect to begin with.
writers and poets always edit and a good photographer will crop if it makes the image stronger.
joe
Click to expand...
Very well put, Joe.
 
Dektol Dan said:
Folks who lean on cropping are most likely amateurs. If I have to crop I have terrific angst and self doubt of abilities. Composing on the fly is the mark of the professional craftsman and artist. Too often I have to lie to myself about it. If I have to fudge a bit I always crop with the same porportion of the viewfinder in order to hide my failure.
...............

The moment is everything in photography. If one cannot master that he should find some other hobby. Even though St. Ansel was a darkroom magician, his compositon was created in the camera as it should be. This is ultimate proof of skill, especially if the camera is all manual.

Cropping is for snapshootists.
Click to expand...

After your version of Photography i think you almost convinced me that to be a snapshootist is better than bear the "the mark of the professional craftsman and artist", like the mark of the Zorro on my chest. I said almost, because knowing myself I knew it beforehand.

Why should I torture myself with the frustrating feeling of "failure" each time I cannot manage to be "composing on the fly".

Why should I find another hobby if I disagree that "The moment is everything in photography"?

Why should I pursue the "ultimate proof of skill"?

Why should i condemn myself like you to "have terrific angst and self doubt of abilities" "If I have to crop" ?

Your view and approach of Photography seems to be alike a fundamentalist religious observant. A superfluous formalist view with crime, repentance and self punishment.

In my view Photography is many many things beyond technique. For example creativity, contents, emotions, dedication, learning, couriosity, originality, long time observation, courage to break any established rules, dedicating the time the subject needs to open itself to you, love of myself, etc, etc. This is my real "technique".

Had you been in contact with a real photo artists and pro's, you have known that for each one great image shown, some hundreds less good ones are thrown to the garbage.

For me Photography with capital "P" is above all absolute freedom. My most hidden dream - to free myself from established photographic prejudices. Anyone doesn't like it? Fine, i don't owe anything to any one - I am an AMATEUR, I LOVE photography, and make love with it, free from the need to satisfy customers, audiences, establishments, editors, and passing by vogues and narrow thinking.

Not that I hadn't like to be a genious of photography, but since I am not - why not to make the most of MY situation ?

Take it easy, be happy. Otherwise, why to photograph at all ?

Cheers,
Ruben
 
Last edited by a moderator:
One other thing to consider: Isn't extracting a rectangular( or square) image from the image circle of the lens already cropping?
I also would suggest that photography is as much about what one leaves out of the frame as what one includes. And if the print is the goal, cropping a little more after selecting the rectangle you wanted with the camera isn't any less "pure".
Any tool can be used overmuch or poorly but cropping is just one of lots of tools we have to work with.
Rob
 
There are several "Thou shalt not..." statements that I agree with.

Thou shalt not crop, is not one of them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom