Critique Wanted This or that? The definite thread for cropping photo critique!

Armanius

Bring Jack back!
Location
Houston, Texas
Name
Jack
For this thread, post two different versions of the same photo, but cropped differently. Feel free to explain which one you like better, what you were thinking when you did the crop, etc.

And hopefully folks will chime in with thoughts on what works. And what doesn't.

I often wonder if the way I framed a photo was sufficient to capture everything I wanted to capture, or perhaps too much, or perhaps not enough. While processing the photos, I see different elements on a photo that may peak my interest, but which sometimes, I didn't even notice when I first took the photo. It makes me wonder, what crop works better and what does not work. Should I crop here or there? Should I highlight this or that?

#1 - This photo was previously posted on the strawberry farm thread. I cropped it pretty tight because I wanted to highlight the interaction between the woman and the boy, and also show the woman's facial expression.

Froberg_Farm-12.jpg
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#2 - This photo was also cropped, but it gives the viewer a better idea of the environment. I personally like the close up better.

Strawberry_-_Large-1.jpg
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ps: I'm not sure if there's already a thread similar to this. If there is, my apologies to the mods. Feel free to consolidate! :)

pps: I'm so proud of myself. I started a thread and didn't even mention anything about gear!! Maybe my GAS is cured ...
 
I think I finally worked out what GAS means - Gear Aspiration Syndrome?

ps The first wins - You are involved as a bystander / onlooker & part of the group
 
I prefer to see the context that the subject matter is photographed in. Even though in this case it's fairly identifiable in both crops I still prefer the second a little more.

Btw, great idea for a thread!
 
In this case I prefer the more tightly cropped image.

Yesterday, my son and I noticed that the store was suddenly full of stone fruit, cherries and blueberries. Looking forward to summer fruit!
 
Portrait of C

Here are Three Photos off a slide scan with conversion to BW on first two. (One with additional softening via the Haze filter in the Fuji Finepix editor)

The Third is a crop off the colour slide also using the Haze filter so that colours and tone are more muted. It has been rotated 30 degree.

View attachment 68872

View attachment 68873

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Question? Did you tilt your head when you viewed the last cropped one?

Well that’s what I was trying to get you to do. I feel it gives a sort of an involvement with the viewer rather than just giving a cursory glance.
 
If I knew the woman and the boy or if the shot was showing the center of the woman`s attention, i. e. whatever the boy holds in his hands (might it be a 2 pound strawberry or a snake?) I`d prefer Nr1. In this case, however, Nr2 which shows me the environment of the strawberry field and the activity ongoing there is my pick.
 
Let's get this thread going!

Doing my part to focus on photographs (and not gear). For now anyway!

Which photo do y'all think is more compelling?

10357292826_db3e9261e8_b.jpg

Bluebonnet Season by Armanius, on Flickr


10357291455_ec82d1ccf0_b.jpg

Bluebonnet Season Crop by Armanius, on Flickr

I'm having a hard time deciding which one I like better. I decided to do a crop after pixel peeping the image above at 100%, which did not fit the 27" screen. So when I got to the tree area, it seemed to make a compelling photo in itself. What do y'all think?
 
I am prone to "exclude" a lot in my normal shooting, but sometimes the "inclusion" makes it more interesting. I'm glad someone started this thread. Maybe, it will help me take a closer look at my own "habits".
 
I am prone to "exclude" a lot in my normal shooting, but sometimes the "inclusion" makes it more interesting. I'm glad someone started this thread. Maybe, it will help me take a closer look at my own "habits".

That's a very insightful comment Steve. In retrospect now, I think I am also more prone to "exclude" than to "include." I do crop a lot. That might be reflective of my not thinking enough before I take the shot -- which is something I never thought about.
 
Portrait of C

Here are Three Photos off a slide scan with conversion to BW on first two. (One with additional softening via the Haze filter in the Fuji Finepix editor)

The Third is a crop off the colour slide also using the Haze filter so that colours and tone are more muted. It has been rotated 30 degree.

View attachment 78625

View attachment 78626

View attachment 78627


Question? Did you tilt your head when you viewed the last cropped one?

Well that’s what I was trying to get you to do. I feel it gives a sort of an involvement with the viewer rather than just giving a cursory glance.

I tilted my head. I like it!
 
Doing my part to focus on photographs (and not gear). For now anyway!

Which photo do y'all think is more compelling?

10357292826_db3e9261e8_b.jpg

Bluebonnet Season by Armanius, on Flickr


10357291455_ec82d1ccf0_b.jpg

Bluebonnet Season Crop by Armanius, on Flickr

I'm having a hard time deciding which one I like better. I decided to do a crop after pixel peeping the image above at 100%, which did not fit the 27" screen. So when I got to the tree area, it seemed to make a compelling photo in itself. What do y'all think?

I tend to shoot close myself, and 2 is good, but I like 1 better. The waves of color in the flowers are more pronounced - pink blue pink yellow. It gives a feeling of spaciousness, something I'm not used to seeing without crops or scrub to break it up. 2 focuses more on the neat tree, but it doesn't give that sense of almost magical flowering.
 
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