To crop or not to crop

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typhillips

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I'm curious to get fellow RFFers feelings on the merits of cropping as necessary vs. shooting exclusively full frame.

I happen to have a pretty strong opinion on this one, but I'll keep it to myself for now because I'm really curious to have everyone weigh in on this.

Incidentally, I find that this subject tends to deeply divide people, interestingly enough. Seems to be almost as much of a hot button as the notorious f**m vs. d*****l argument. So I ask that we keep things as civil and friendly as possible. :)
 
So, you know this is a contentious subject and a hot button issue. And that it deeply divides photographers. Possibly even sparks argument.


Why not just understand that it it completely a SUBJECTIVE decision, and there is no objective right or wrong on this?


Why raise the topic unless you want to see an argument?

Just asking.
 
Frank, you just proved my point!!

I'm hoping we can all have a discussion as adults where we debate the merits of one approach vs. the other without it getting ugly. My intent is not to incite argument, nor to try to prove the "correctness" of one side or the other. Rather, I'm interested to understand what the core philosophical differences are (if there even are any) between the "full framers" and the "croppers".

In other words, the debate isn't really about full frame vs. cropping.... it's likely more about something deeper. That's what I'd like to explore.
 
It doesn't have to be an argument ... it can be a set of differing views expressed politely. (optomistic statement) :p

But I agree with Frank that this subject has been discussed previously several times and always seems to turn into a sh!tfight!

That said I have no issue with cropping and retain no precious principals about what I saw in the viewfinder once the shutter has been pressed. If I have to crop, rotate, reverse or whatever in post to get the result I'm happy with ... that's fine.

My avatar is a classic example ... you didn't really think it came out of the camera like that did you? :D
 
My personal opinion is quite strong too. I think its a bit fatuous (maybe pretentious) to not crop, especially when shooting with a prime lens. I don't wish to offend anyone with my strong opinion, and know that in the professional ranks this type of issue was in "the old days" a fraught one too - e.g. HCB did not crop, others did. Ansell Adams spent hours and hours in the dark room working on each image and, I imagine, cropped to his heart's content (he certainly did everything else that could be done to improve an image so woould find it hard to believe he did not crop.)

For my money what matters (the only thing that matters) is the art - i.e. this means, for all intents and purposes, the only thing that matters is the final result. I would guess that 99.99% of those viewing an image do not give a toss whether an image has been cropped or not and probably would not even think about it as an issue.
 
Keith, if your avatar had come straight out of the camera, that would be one camera I would REALLY be interested in seeing.;)

I actually searched through the forums to see if this had been discussed before and nothing really obvious came up. But this could be solely based on my ineptitude in using the search engine.

Thanks for weighing in.:)
 
I prefer to print my negs full frame (no matter the format)...I'm more satisfied with the outcome when I do it this way...
Now, I will also add that I do at times crop...
I compose my shots in-camera so that's what I'm looking for in my prints...cropping most neg formats to fit the predetermined paper sizes means I will have to leave part of my image out...I'm not happy with doing that...Full-Frame for me...:D :D :cool:
 
One group of photographers will say, "I think that cropping is philosophically wrong." Another group will say, "Cropping is part of the creative process." Both groups will be correct. Everyone is free to choose what they want to do. There is very little in art besides plagiarism that is objectively wrong.

So, are you just wanting to start and witness a debate on this issue, because how can you expect a resolution on such a subjective topic?
 
Frank, with all due respect I think you are oversimplifying the "debate". (Maybe I shouldn't use the term "debate" - I probably framed this whole thread wrong from the beginning...)

I agree with you in the sense that, at the extreme ends, you will have the "never ever crop" people and the "freely crop as necessary" people. However, you could have many shades of grey in the middle.

For example, how do people that fall more closely in the "only shoot full frame' category feel about taking a shot with a 35mm camera that the photographer fully intends to crop to square format later, merely because the image itself calls for that aspect ratio and the only tool on hand doesn't make square images "in camera"?

I believe that there are a lot of subtle points of interest here that are worthy of a discussion and truly hope that it won't just degenerate into people walloping each other over the head.

Perhaps I am being too optimistic...
 
If you want to crop, crop! If you don't, don't!

Seems simple enough to me. The fact that anyone would get riled up arguing about this is pretty mystifying to be honest.
 
Here is an analogy:

What is your favourite colour? I have a favourite colour and I have a strong opinion about it. Just wondering what other members' favourite colour is, and why. Let's debate it.

So who is going to be right? Let's just hope people with strong opinions start to argue about how their SUBJECTIVE opinion is correct? Is that the purpose of the post? Because surely you know the answer is individual and subjective.

Sorry, that's just how I see this.

If you really want to know, I have no issue with cropping. It is part of the creative process. If a photographer happens to "nail" the image in full frame, then that's great. If that happens to me, I may even print it with the image edge from my filed out neg carrier.

How is this argument relevant with digital photography?
 
Frank, again, my intent is not to have people sit and argue about something that is clearly subjective (and I agree with you 100%, it is totally subjective). It is to find out why people prefer cropping, or not cropping, or whatever.

I always find it interesting to put myself in others' shoes, especially if I disagree with their opinion. Part of this is understanding their reasons or motivations for having that opinion.

Anyway, despite the fact that you apparently think this is a useless exercise in futility, I do appreciate you giving your opinion on the matter.

I'm not sure I understand your last question about digital photography? Are you referring to the comment I made in my initial post about this being a "hot button" topic similar to the film/digital debate?
 
Cropping always brings up issues of photographic ethics ... the purity of the captured image and not mutilating it and all that hyperbole that seems to obsess some people.

It's a bit hard for me to question a colour, or choice of colour, for an individual if they like green and I don't though!

IMO opinion a lot of shooters here aren't particularly adventurous with their photography and actually need to think occasionally about a few degrees rotation here or a crop there! I get a lot of pleasure from an image that comes out of the camera exactly as I saw it with little need for alteration ... but I'll quite happily disect something less than satisfactory in post to create my vision if need be!
 
My point is, why look for an answer to a question for which there is no empirically correct answer? Crop if you want to, don't crop if you don't. What subtleties are you looking for besides: "I think it is wrong/right." I'll be interested to sit back and see how this discussion will go, and how it can get any farther than that. I am willing to learn.
 
Perhaps for those photographers who have never thought about cropping, a discussion would be useful, but I am presuming that we are beyond that point,
 
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