Cropping Advice

[Nick Palmieri]

Took a lot of images from this location I was trying my new Lee ND filters. I love the way you could follow the flowing river all the way to the bright sky. Canon EOS 40D, ISO 200, f/22, 1s., 12-24mm at 12mm, 3 stop ND filter. Some levels and sharpening in PS. I was hoping for some advice on the cropping of this image.

[Mark Fuge]

Personally, I would leave it alone. You have a perspective image moving to the left. The top of the trees and the edge of the stream form a nice direction line to the other end of the image. The only thing that is of any concern and that is not much believe me, is the tree on the left. It would have been nice to have the tree in the image, but given the composition of the rest of the image I have no problem with it.

Generally, I like the rule of thirds, which would be 1/3 for the top, 1/3 for the center and 1/3 for the bottom as well as the subject being in the intersection of the vertical and horizontal 1/3 intersections. However, as noted, due to the perspective of this image I do not feel it would apply and would ruin the image.

Accept it as is. It's a good composition in my view.

[William Malacarne]

Nick

Looks pretty good as is....I tired more of a pano crop with it by taking off some of the top and then brought out a little more of the red in the sky thinking the water would lead my eyes to the sky...it didn't work very good.

Bill

[Ron Boisvert]

Nick, I agree with Mark. I like the strong directionality of the image and wouldn't change the composition.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Nick, I also don't see a need to crop the image. Looks balanced to me and nicely exposed. My only suggestion would be for a bit more room on the bottom so the left rock isn't so close to the edge. Well handled!!

[Jay Gould]

Hi Nick, I am going to go against the grain to create additional discussion because I like the image.

Where was your point of focus? The image goes soft for me about the middle of the rocks on the RHS.

As present, while the waterway does reach to the far BG, the rocks in the foreground are a sort of barrier and they hold your interest in the front portion of the image; the BG is just "there".

Mind you, the rocks are interesting; just not that interesting because they are the same color as the water - they don't pop at you. The rocks on the RHS are more interesting and colorful.

If I were a CS4 expert, I would probably select just the rocks for additional PP and then they might pop at you.

Here is a different presentation designed to draw the eye to the BG and perhaps cause the eye to run along the RH shore to the colorful sky.

I applied sharpening, and the other minor change I made is I rotated the image so that the far shoreline is level, or more level than it appears in the OP

What do you think; what do the others think? I am using your image to learn about cropping and presentation of my future images. :D

BTW, you mention your new Lee ND filters; as a result of all of the recommendations I have received here (Al and Roman) and from others away from the BPN I just ordered the Singh Ray Vari-ND. Looking forward to making blur water images too.

[Desmond Chan]

I'm with Dave on this one. You have a classical landscape composition here. Good job !

[Mark Fuge]

I think the original is still the best image. I like the large rocks, as well as the rocks along the shore, in the foreground to anchor the image and give it immediate interest. From there, the eyes drift back through the scene, to the focal area on the other end. DOF to me is not important here. I think what you have is adequate, due to the strong composition of the perspective. While the pano is another view that you could have considered, seeing the full view you presented, I feel you found the right solution as shot.

Keep on shooting! You did well. ;)

[Phil Ertel]

I would leave the composition as is. I think the rocks in the foreground add interest to the image. Also in stead of cropping any off the top if possible, I think boosting the colors/contrast in the sky would do more to make it stronger image. Overall nic image. Thanks for sharing.

[Nick Palmieri]

Thanks everyone for your advice. This is essentially the image out of the camera. I was trying to crop it and came up with nothing so I guess it I got it right from the beginning. Jay I did try a crop like that (actually it was my first try) but it didn't quite do it for me. I wanted those rocks in the foreground. The mistake in hindsight is that the closest rock it too close to the edge, as Dave suggested. Unfortunately in all the shots I took from that location not one has that complete rock in it, so I will keep that in mind next time (now it bugs me).

[Jay Gould]

Hi Nick and everyone, thanks from me to for the comments. Dave, it was your comment about needing more room in front of the rocks that caused me to suggest the pano. I like the BG sky and that is why I tried to emphasize in my RP. I also agree with Phil about boosting the colors/contrast in the sky.

[Alfred Forns]

I have to go with the re post on this one If you wanted the rocks included best to turn the camera down to include all

My problem with the original is the horizon in the middle of the image, about the only ones that work for me are mirror reflections. This image is strong enough that looks good either way but my preference is moving the horizon !!!

btw imagine pointing the camera down to show more area and cropping a bit from the top !!!!

[Dave Mills]

Hi Jay, The pano is certainly another way to present the image.

[Gus Cobos]

I like what you were trying to do Nick,
the horizon line in the middle of the frame kills the composition...Jay's pano crop gives it a different view with out the rocks...looking forward to your next one...:cool: