Cropped or Uncropped

[Mackinaw]

Just curious what image folks like better. No discussion needed, just a one word answer, cropped or uncropped.

Thanks.

Jim Bielecki

 

[Nikon Bob]

Can't see any images to give an answer. Okay they are there now. Uncropped.

Bob

 

[captainslack]

Cropped. The out of focus people in the foreground of the uncropped image are very distracting.

 

[Dave H]

uncropped. You didn't ask but you gonna get it anyway. To me in the cropped version its just 3 babes looking at something and could be anywhere. In the uncropped version, although you still cant see what there looking at, everybody in the whole frame and the OOF people are all looking in the same direction, hence an implied interest, and you can tell that the three babes are at a fair of some sorts giving it context. Phew, that was a bit of a mouthful.

 

[lkgroup]

I like the cropped version better. I might have cropped the bottom up some to give a rectangle rather than a square picture.

leo

 

[julianphotoart]

I prefer uncropped

 

[TPPhotog]

It depends on what your trying to convey to the viewer. If you want to say hey there's some beautiful ladies walking around then go for cropped. If your trying to say something about the event you were at, then un-cropped 😉

 

[vincentbenoit]

It depends on what your trying to convey to the viewer.

Exactly. What are you trying to express through this picture?
Vincent

 

[back alley]

uncropped, it tells more of a story.

joe

 

[AZSunGod]

I like the uncropped it has more interest.

 

[Socke]

uncropped

And some fillwords so the forum accepts my post 🙂

 

[klas.buren]

Uncropped, even though square is always nice 🙂

 

[Todd.Hanz]

uncropped, the choice of apeture allows the eye to focus on the subject while giving context to the overall image.



Todd

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Uncropped is way better.

 

[nomade]

Uncropped, it's just full of life, i really donno it attracts me more...Gives some blend to it..

 

[hoot]

Definitely un.

 

[Nick R.]

uncropped. The OOF foreground gives it a 3-d effect

 

[Mackinaw]

Folks-----Thanks for all of the feedback on my simple question.

To give you some background, the picture was taken at a bicycle "drag race" in the canyons of downtown Detroit back in mid-September. I used a Leica MP with a Canon 50/1.2 stopped down to about F1.6. Film was Ekfe 25 developed in Rodinal. I'm contemplating adding this pic to my gallery but was locked in a debate with a friend as to which version looked better, cropped or uncropped.

So, the correct answer, to me, is....uncropped, for the same reasons given by Nick, the OOF background and foreground concentrates your gaze to the main subject, which are the two gals looking at the action while strolling through the pits.

No doubt that cropping, or not, is a art unto itself.

Jim Bielecki

 

[djon]

You didn't ask, but I'd crop from the right to eliminate the photographer. I like the OOF woman on the left, think she contributes to the image.

Nice shot. Maybe there's a story or related photos.

 

[doubs43]

Cropped. The uncropped version is much too busy and nothing jumps out to captures the eye.

Walker