[Mike Nelson Pedde Participant Posts: 641]

General

on: June 2, 2020 at 9:04 pm

from Mark Dubovoy:

The Joy Of Cropping

What’s your opinion on cropping? Sometimes a little bit can have a big effect.

Mike.

_____
Mike Nelson Pedde
Victoria, BC
https://www.wolfnowl.com/

[Daniel Smith]

Re: The Joy of Cropping

Reply #1 on: June 7, 2020 at 10:03 am

I agree and disagree. Both for various reasons.

Really work hard to compose on the ground glass and use every bit of space for what matters. Prefer to make the full print – as visualized and photographed. At times limitations come up that make it impossible. A cliff drops off and prevents me from stepping a few feet closer. Can’t back up because something is in the way. Don’t have the right lens for the composition – so I take the photo, knowing I will be cropping to fit what I visualized. No problem at all with doing that, it is a conscious choice.

Then we have images that were a nice idea but don’t really work once I look at them and live with them for a bit. Some are gems in waiting – waiting for me to work past the hidebound idea of “full frame” and “as I took it” – and crop a bit to get a better image. What it comes down to for me is simple – if it works, it works. I would rather get it right in camera but that is not always possible. So – do what it takes. Crop or play around or throw it in the trash can.

The Woolen Mills image is full frame from a 4×5 negative. No cropping. It is as I envisioned before I tripped the shutter.

 

The Wyoming Aspens were photographed with an 8×10 camera. The “cropping” here is with the hand coating on the paper. I did not want it full frame, edge to edge. My choice in printing. While set up and taking a meter reading I heard a loud scream and watched a Mountain Lion going after a group of deer. As they fled in terror the Lion nailed on of them and it went down, out of sight just past the rise. The others came within four feet of my camera and I as they ran from the lion. It was a great morning and the light was wonderful. The Lion and Mulies were a real highlight.

"A good still photograph, studied by an inquiring mind, frequently yields more information than a mile of moving images". Walter Cronkite, New York, June 1989

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Daniel Smith.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Daniel Smith.

[Kevin Raber Silver Member Posts: 1217]

Re: The Joy of Cropping

Reply #2 on: June 7, 2020 at 1:27 pm

Two nice examples not to mention the images are great.

[Mike Nelson Pedde Participant Posts: 641]

Re: The Joy of Cropping

Reply #3 on: June 10, 2020 at 1:08 am

Indeed. I’m also in the camp that you only get one chance to make that exposure but sometimes you get what you get. And I don’t see photography as image making vs. post… It’s all part of the process.

Thanks for sharing your work!

Mike.

_____
Mike Nelson Pedde
Victoria, BC
https://www.wolfnowl.com/

[Dave Chew Silver Member Posts: 64]

Re: The Joy of Cropping

Reply #4 on: June 15, 2020 at 4:53 am

I never had a problem with cropping. When in the field, I place the camera where necessary to get the perspective I want. I carry four lenses, and sometimes only two. I pick the lens that provides the angle of view closest to what I need, add the necessary movements and take the photo(s).  Sometimes they need cropping to a different ratio, sometimes to narrow the field to what I wanted in the first place.

In my opinion, moving the camera back and forth to get an image full in the frame, whatever that frame is, rarely works because moving the camera-lens position changes perspective. Especially with a wide angle of view.

Dave

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains! - John Muir
https://www.davechewphotography.com
Find legacy Schneider-Kreuznach Apo-Digitar lens data here: https://www.davechewphotography.com/skdata/

[Author]

Posts