Dockside.

[David Jilek]

I got out first thing this morning and came back with a couple nice shots. Question is. Which is better? The cropped with texture or the uncropped without?
Thanks
David

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

To my eyes the texture (dockside 1) does nothing to enhance the image.
As for cropping, they both are cropped, but differently. I prefer the second image, in which the sky above the top row of boats gives them some room to breathe, and you have less of the unnecessary dock at the bottom.

[RSL]

David, It would be interesting to see the original un-cropped, un-textured version. I see that you shot it with a D2X at ISO 100 (on the D2X, ISO 200 will give you better results since that's the sensor's native sensitivity), and with a 5 second exposure. The long exposure accounts for the unfortunate motion blur in the sloop in the background, but I'd guess the texturing accounts for the blurring of the fake lap-strakes in the bow of the  boat in the foreground.

I agree with Eric. I don't understand what advantage the texturing adds, and the sky is an important part of the picture. I certainly wouldn't lop off the mast on the sloop. Since the original aspect ratio is 2 to 3, I can't help but wonder what's in the other third of the picture.

[wolfnowl]

Since two excellent answers have been given, I agree!

Mike.

[francois]

I have to agree with the previous comments.

[David Jilek]

Here is the original shot. I think the clouds take away from the shot. I can drop in a different set of clouds if I need to.

[Chris Calohan]

I'mm not sure this needs to be B&W.

[francois]

Here is the original shot. I think the clouds take away from the shot. I can drop in a different set of clouds if I need to.

FWIW, I like the original…

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I agree. As a BW fan, I prefer the uncropped original, with the clouds, and the color.
As Russ often says, your first instinct when choosing the in-camera crop is usually the best. 

[RSL]

Yep, the original is the best of the lot. But I still can't figure out what's up with the lap-strakes in the bow of the boat. It's obvious that the boat didn't move during the 5 second exposure, and the strakes on the starboard side of the bow are sharp, but on the port side, just under the gunwale they've faded away.

[Riaan van Wyk]

As Russ often says, your first instinct when choosing the in-camera crop is usually the best.

I prefer the original too David.

[Brett_D]

Yep...original wins for me too.

[David Jilek]

Modern Carbon fiber molded boat! It just all fades away. It is equal on both sides. The only thing I don't like about the original is the way the sky burns out. To me it takes away from the rest of the shot.
Thanks
David