When I take a bunch of photos, I usually process the ones that strike me most upon first perusal. First impressions count a lot, but sometimes a second look prompts me to go a little further.
Upon looking back at those sunrise photos from the first shoot yesterday — First Sunrise in a Long Time — I wondered about cropping more vertically. I had been far away after all, so the photos were very wide. This ↓ is what cropping accomplished (on a different photo from the previous ones posted).
Although my first inclination is to present the photo in the format originally taken, I also sometimes embrace cropping. After all, we can't always be in the exact right place with the exact right lens. It a photo within photo if you like, and sometimes the best version of the photo is inside the other. I'm not sure how I rank this one ↑ against the previous, wider versions, but I do like the format.
On the same morning I took a photo ↓ looking off the left of the above photo. The sky wasn't as a brilliant there, but I still liked the bits of sunrise light between the cloud layers. I cropped it in a similar format as above.
When we were walking the trail at another time, I was taken with the blooms on a tree in a backyard that we passed. Again, I had to crop, and I also had to remove some extraneous branches which detracted from the subject. I only on occasion go this far in processing a photo, but I liked the bloom so much in this case that I wanted to highlight it.
I have one more photo of the goslings, this time lying down and perhaps preparing for an afternoon siesta. The foreground was ugly, so I cropped it away.
Finally, here is a b&w version of the overpass photo from yesterday.
I like your 2nd picture the most of all those you posted. I'm glad you are having fun with your changes. Also, I had no idea that you taught Chess at one time ... between that and the photography we have a lot in common !
ReplyDeleteThey are all now interesting photos, and I think I like the B&W as much or better than the color one. :-)
ReplyDeleteGood looking sunrises, and I admit to liking the geese. This is a much better shot than any I've attempted.
ReplyDeleteI would have to compare side by side, but generally cropping judiciously is a good idea. John always thinks I should crop out more of the sky, but if it's blue, that's hard for a Washingtonian to do! :) The overpass photo is starkly stunning.
ReplyDeleteCropping can be both good and bad, but anytime it helps the viewer to :focus" more on what rthe photographer intended, it's a good thing to do (in my opinion). B&W can turn a so-so images into something more captivating as with the last image. It's WHY I embrace the older classic films as well.
ReplyDeleteI do like your edits.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at how technology has changed my techniques over the years. I remember with my first cameras, the autofocus setting were tough to get the camera to focus on the desire object so I cropped a lot of the pictures with position and lens first so eliminate things that distracted the autofocus. Now my phone allows me to easily and accurately focus on just about anything I want in a view full of things that could distract it. Because of this, I now mostly take photos of much wider views than I ever intend and just crop it later as a time savings and occasionally, a change in heart on how the composition should be.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your seconds thoughts! Actually, your firsts, too!
ReplyDeleteGoslings grow so quickly! Love that photo.
ReplyDeleteI think cropping t remove non relevant objects is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteNice edits! I think the close up sunrise is beautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely photos. like the black and white photo. It can be on the wall for display.
ReplyDeleteYou do those black and white photos so beautifully.
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