Cropping the Photograph

To Crop or Not to Crop

When I was first learning the basics about photography, I was taught to crop the scene within the camera by moving closer or changing physical position.  Zoom lenses were considered inferior so a serious photographer would only use a fixed length lens.  With advances in technology, zoom lenses became sharper which made it easier to crop in the camera.  As a last resort a certain amount of cropping could be done in the dark room, if the negative was sharp enough. 

Enter the digital age with processing software and voilà cropping is made so much easier.  However the original image still needs to be sharp and have the maximum number of pixels. 

So if we have a sharp image with 300ppi, how much do we crop.  With my Nikon D90 set for Image Quality: RAW, after processing I will have a finished photo that is 4288 X 3848 or 14.293" X 9.493", giving me a 34.9M file.  The photo will also be saved as a TIFF and not as a JPG.  And the difference between those two will be for a future blog. 

 The image size is especially crucial when you are cropping in on a photo to get a secondary clear sharp image. 

 Before the photo is cropped, a decision also may arise on whether it should be a vertical or horizontal.   By rotating the photo in Photoshop, I can get a good idea of which format would give the subject a more interesting appearance.   Once that decision is made, I will crop and re-size as needed.

One thing you must consider when cropping is how tight on the subject to go.  Leaving a neutral space around the subject creates a more pleasing image, otherwise the subject becomes confined.  An additional factor to consider if the photo will be framed  is to allow enough space so that the subject will not be confined or covered up with a mat.

Experimenting with cropping in Photoshop is fun and can be very rewarding when you find those hidden images in a photograph.

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

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Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

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