Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: stamper on December 07, 2015, 07:34:04 am

Title: Dilemma
Post by: stamper on December 07, 2015, 07:34:04 am
Normally when I crop I am pretty sure about what I think is "best" but this image has me scratching my head. About one third in from the right....or not at all? The skyline is Glasgow, Scotland taken from the Necropolis.
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: RSL on December 07, 2015, 08:36:08 am
I guess if I were going to crop I'd crop the right side up to the right edge of the steeple so the left and right sides are balanced a bit better. On the other hand, I'd probably not crop at all. It's well seen as it is.
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: Krug on December 07, 2015, 01:00:10 pm
A very nice skyline image - leave it just as it is - I cannot see a crop which would improve it.
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: drmike on December 07, 2015, 01:04:05 pm
Krug is probably right but I don't like that figure on the left so I'd get rid of it one way or the other.

On my monitor it's very dark along the bottom but I expect there's detail in there I can't see.
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: Bruce Cox on December 07, 2015, 04:48:05 pm
Seems to me that, if you are going to have a dilemma, you need twin peaks.
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: Jaemie on December 07, 2015, 05:36:00 pm
The photo works well as it is. I would resist cropping.
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: ekaffehr on December 07, 2015, 05:49:30 pm
Hi,

Nice image!

I might crop something like this…

Best regards
Erik

Normally when I crop I am pretty sure about what I think is "best" but this image has me scratching my head. About one third in from the right....or not at all? The skyline is Glasgow, Scotland taken from the Necropolis.
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: luxborealis on December 07, 2015, 06:10:36 pm
Why crop?

What don't you like about it?

Yes, it's a difficult image, and we could make some suggestions, but we weren't there. If you knowingly composed with the guy on the left in the image, why remove him? The same for the steeple on the right - you must have had a reason for including it. I mean, you're a very experienced composer of wonderful images. If you'real stymied... :-\

If you want my honest opinion, why bother spending anytime on the photostat all? Is it really worth it?

If it is, and you can truly articulate a personal or artistic reason for not deleting it, then that might provide you with some insight about what's important about it, which can lead to cropping decisions (if any is needed at all).
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on December 07, 2015, 08:38:37 pm
When in doubt, don't crop.
Just listen to Russ (except when he says it might be OK to crop).
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: francois on December 08, 2015, 02:49:39 am
FWIW, I like it as it is but don't see any bad effect with a crop on the right side.
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: stamper on December 08, 2015, 04:00:07 am
Thanks to all for their feedback and there are some interesting opinions. I liked the people on the left and the cathedral on the right but the gap between the two seemed to be too wide? Therefore I wondered whether there was a crop that could "improve" it. On hindsight probably a crop isn't needed except for Russ's suggestion with respect to the small gap to the right of the cathedral. As to the dark foreground then there is detail that is better hidden because it is clutter. Food for thought!
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: luxborealis on December 08, 2015, 11:23:28 pm
What about turning it into a diptych?
Title: Re: Dilemma
Post by: stamper on December 10, 2015, 08:54:18 am
Terry, an interesting idea that I knew nothing about. Thanks.