Why Not CROPPING Enough HURTS Your Photos

🌟QUICK QUESTION: Do you crop most photos?

Interesting thoughts but for me if you over-crop an original landscape photo it becomes too claustrophobic which changes the intended perspective of space and tranquillity....

Love the content this week. One suggestion might be that you mention the original photographers of those images that you shared today. It might help move traffic to their social media sites.

This a great and often overlooked tool to use. I would rather start with a larger photo and then crop it in post vs trying to get the perfect framed photo when shooting. So many times I have tried to get the correct framing only to look at the photo later and see that it does not flow well because it was too narrow or tight. Cropping in post is an excellent, non destructive way to adjust a photo later.

I've never understood the no-crop purists. A few things I want to add that I don't think were mentioned: A lot of modern cameras do have the option of changing the aspect ratio or at least shows a preview of an aspect ratio while shooting, but you don't always have time to figure out the right one when the light is changing in front of you. You might as well give yourself options while editing. I believe a great shot is better than a missed perfect shot. I haven't tried to find a way to print with a custom crop ratio, but I know if you do, you'll usually have additional cropping done to an image when it's time to print so it's beneficial to use defined crop ratios. If you are able to print at a custom ratio, then you would need a custom frame for that print too. So overall, I would avoid custom cropping.

Great topic Mark. Cropping is a big part of my process. I’ll try several crops, let them sit, and then return sometime later to see what appeals most to fresh eyes. “Life in the Frame”, what to leave in, what to leave out.

I find that when I take a photo I leave a little extra space around my composition so I almost always crop just a little bit. It also helps with having the little extra for fixing perspective and such.

Things to ponder while looking at my photos.

Totally agree. Crop tf out of your images! Check out Arnold Newmans photo of Igor Stravinsky and how it was cropped

This is an extremely beneficial video. It reminded me of things I had forgotten. But, I think in the third photo, about 6 minutes in, I will disagree with your conclusion. It's important to have references that the eye can see to establish what is in the photo. The way you cropped it confused my eye into asking: "What is it?" All the other photos, including your photos gave enough reference points so that the eye could tell what was in the photo. In number 3 it will take a bit of time for the eye to understand that it is a stream with a waterfall, or is an alien eating up the landscape? The photo needed to have a bit more reference to establish what we are actually seeing. All the other photos, I feel that you were right one with the crops. Again, a good video. Be safe.

Best crop tutorial I've see,....outstanding Mark!!

I do crop most of my photos. When I started watching your video, I thought to myself, Mark, art is subjective. Then I I saw how you cropped those photos and went WOW! Great job, for me I am going back to do a bit more cropping on some photos.

I'm a sometimes landscape photographer with a 600 mm lens in my kit...*that's* 'cropping'. But, since i 'grew up' shooting film, i'm usually pretty 'crop-conscious' during composition, when shooting 4x5 cost an arm and a leg, and a lot of time....otoh, when shooting 6x7 velvia, one could still crop quite a bit, and keep resolution high enough.

What did I learn ? Yes cropping but you lock the aspect ratio. I have always cropped freeform but locking the. aspect ratio seems to work well. I'm going to try that. Thanks for that tip.

Excellent video, as usual! Ratios: In all these crops, you maintan one of the "standard" ratios (4x6, 5x7, 8x10) as the dimensions of your crop. If you crop in, all sides come in, proportionate to the standard ratio you've chosen. I myself have most often used no preset ratio, but cropped with ratios "free". My uninformed bias has been to maximize my creative license and use whatever proportions serve the particular photo image. What are the advantages (and disadvantages) of your approach of sticking to the standard proportion ratios? What are the advantages (and disadvantages) cropping with ratios set to "free", not using the standard ratios? I welcome anyone respnoding to this question, which seems important to me after watching this video. I could use the help.

Caveat: I don't shoot with high-MP cameras. I work in the field to frame my shots as accurately as possible. Several reasons... the process helps me understand exactly what I'm shooting / the process keeps me mindful of details in the scene (especially peripheral) / i pay a lot of attention to what would be 'background' / all those lenses I lug around get their chance to shine / I keep the MP i've got for the final image. Etc. And I do crop... but it's nearly always because I've failed to notice a detail. The main exception is if i've shot wildlife on the move - that is, the subject doesn't 'sit' like my collie, or i'm having a 'square day' - in which case I'll usually frame with the aspect ratio in mind. My photography is better for this discipline, but I realise it might not be so for everyone. Cheers for the video and all the best.

Thanks, Mark. I totally agree about the benefits of cropping and do not relate to those who say the framing should be set in stone at the time of capture. Please share any advice you have when it comes to cropping wildlife, in particular the balance for showing an animal it its environment or removing unnecessary elements to where you end up with a portrait.

I shot 98% of The time in 1:1, in camera. So I dont have to ‘guess’ in post what may work better. But yesh, cropping is a powerfull tool. Good video

To me, the crop on the small flowing stream (starting at 5:45), was the most startling. After the crop my eyes were literally yanked into the middle of the photo. Excellent video. Thank you.

Mark, thank you for today's lecture. I shoot the season and today I went back through Winter and did cropping as you suggested, Wow what an improvement I saw, again thank you for this weeks episode, I look forward to next week's for future improvements