Part 1 - Exercise 9 - Cropping

Part 1 - Exercise 9 - Cropping


In this exercise I have to choose 3 of my own photographs and the explore different crops within them and explain my choices.

For each image I will show the original then screenshots of each crop.

Image 1: Original

Image 1: Crop 1

In crop 1 I cut out the sky and tried to emphasise the washing and the line of the front wall, with the shape of the washing line creating a more prominent diamond shape.

Image 1: Crop 2

In crop 2 I explored a vertical frame and selected the left side, keeping the wall and sky but centralising the roof dormer window to try and create a central peak.

Image 1: Crop 3

With crop 3 I this time tried a panoramic view, isolating only the top row of washing removing the straight line of the front wall. This has the effect of making the washing the only point of interest with a shallow triangle peaking in the middle of the frame.

Image 2: Original

Image 2: Crop 1

With crop 1 I immediately thought I'd go straight towards the opposite of the original by using a vertical crop. This is good for cropping out the distracting background.

Image 2: Crop 2

Crop 2 is where I tried a square format, isolating the children's  expressions and putting a clear emphasis on the main child's eyes.

Image 2: Crop 3

In crop 3 I wanted to stay with the square format although even up the two children by almost having an imaginary  line down the middle of them. This I feel helps balance the whole image and allows us to explore both expressions without being distracted by the background.

Image 3: Original

Image 3: Crop 1

In crop 1 my thought was to use a panoramic format to isolate the side structures of the bridge and eliminate some of the walkway. This also created a symmetrical image the centre very much being the focal point.

Image 3: Crop 2

In crop 2 I stayed with the first format but cropped out more of the walkway and introduced more of the roof. This allows the curve of the side structures to be more visible and effective.

Image 3: Crop 3

With crop 3 I move towards a vertical format, highlighting only the shadows of the left hand side of the bridge going firmly away from the symmetry of the original image and previous crops.

Image 3: Crop 4

Finally in crop 4 I tighten the crop of 3 to eliminate the top curve of the side structure and the roof to allow the whole image to work from bottom left to top right where with prominent dark straight shadows being bent slightly with the handrails towards the lonely figure on the bike disappearing into the dark abyss.

Concluding this exercise I have to say I have been amazed at how easily an image can be changed with simply changing the crop format or size. It is evident that although there is always a great need for maintaining the importance of doing everything to get the shot right when shooting, there is always the chance that coming back to an image and having a fresh approach, that something original and different can come from post shoot cropping.

Part 1 - Exercise 8 - Vertical & Horizontal Frames

Part 1 - Exercise 8 - Vertical & Horizontal Frames


In this exercise, the idea was to take 20 photos in a vertical (portrait) format, then go back and take the same scene in horizontal (landscape).

I have grouped each pair together in either format.

1/2000s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/1600s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

In this framing I found myself looking for height within the scene when taking the portrait version and I used the pier and the pole on the sign for this, dragging you into the picture. The horizontal has a little more interest with the boathouse and boat in the shot along with the interest of the reflection.

1/1000s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/1250s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

Here I used the fading buoys to work within the portrait format, it was a tight fit for the frame and so lost detail in the boathouse but feel the row of buoys pulls you right into the whole picture. With the landscape shot the buoys have the same impact but again with more detail to explore, with the boathouse and small boat.

1/2000s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/1600s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

These are shots of a boat trailers gearing and I was wanting to suggest it in its setting next to the loch. I feel the vertical shot allows you to see the gearing then naturally explore upwards into the background, the horizontal pulls you into the gearing and keeps you there to explore only its immediate surroundings.

1/25s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/40s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

I was originally drawn towards this scene of the sign and rudders due to its vertical appeal. The portrait has been set with the subject set in the lower right allowing the light to drift along the wall and subject as we are drawn into the deep blue of the wall. The horizontal has its own appeal, as this time we start exploring from left to right and drift out from the deep blue wall towards the bright daylight.

1/400s f5.6 ISO 100 24mm

1/400s f5.6 ISO 100 24mm

Here I focused on the reflection of the sky in the windows of the gym. The vertical does this but I feel it is the weaker composition of the two. The horizontal has the benefit of the reflection of the trees in the right hand windows that help to suggest a complete landscape in the reflections, although I would prefer to crop out the distracting sandwich board.

1/4000s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/3200s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

These boat shots each have their appeal. The shape of the boat is aided by the vertical frame allowing the background to be fully explored. The horizontal firstly seems unnatural but as you look into the cut down background and the space to the left of the boat there appears a calmness with the shot and its composition. Although, I still feel the portrait frame is the best for this subject.

1/1000s f3.2 ISO 100 70mm

1/800s f3.2 ISO 100 70mm

Here I had to take the 2 photos one after another and with the rowers launching their boat there was always going to a difference to the subject matter. The vertical actually works well due to the guys holding the boat above their heads and the tall trees in the background. The horizontal has a little more to see, with the life saving ring and boats in the distance. This time I think too little is going on in the top half of the portrait shot and the horizontal works the best.

1/1000s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/1600s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

This pair are of a yet to bloom tree, silhouetted by the afternoon sun. Both have their appeal but I find the vertical format is the more interesting with the shadows working their way down the slope like roots snaking through the soil.

1/1000s f2.8 ISO 100 44mm

1/1000s f2.8 ISO 100 28mm

In this vertical shot the crop is fairly tight and only shows a suggestion of the life saving ring and the sign is a similar shape to the frame. In the horizontal, there is a glimpse of the footbridge behind, crossing the water working better than the vertical frame.

1/400s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/640s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

The expanse of the underside of the bridge from the previous shots was the subject for this pair. Trying to focus in on an overflow pipe then allowing the background to become the interest. Not sure which works best, possible a more careful symmetrical composition on the horizontal would have created better lead in diagonals from each upper corner. The portrait version has too much wasted space in the foreground.

1/200s f2.8 ISO 100 62mm

1/250s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

This path decorate with a lager can I think shows both frames can work. Each has an emphasis on the path drifting off into the background with possibly the vertical framing working better as the path runs up alongside the length of the tree post.

1/400s f2.8 ISO 100 70mm

1/400s f2.8 ISO 100 62mm

Again a sign, this time a circular one with a little graffiti. Each frame being ok, the vertical showing more of the supporting pole the horizontal showing more of the sky and not as tight a crop leaving some space to the left of the frame.

1/1600s f2.8 ISO 100 70mm

1/1600s f2.8 ISO 100 66mm

I felt using the railings of this bridge looking out to over the water below and the scene around it would be interesting to experiment with in each frame. The question I was asking myself was whether the vertical framing would work better with the vertical lines of the railings or would the horizontal throw up a pleasing contrast. Seeing more of the water drift out in the vertical frame makes me believe that on these compositions it is this shot that works best with all the lines going in the same direction, from the long vertical side frame lines to the banks of the river to the railings. 

1/800s f2.8 ISO 100 58mm

1/500s f2.8 ISO 100 66mm

Here I found some iron chains lying in piles. Each shot has the fall off of the background chains with possibly the vertical frame emphasising their positions slightly better.

1/160s f2.8 ISO 100 70mm

1/160s f2.8 ISO 100 55mm

The shape of this gearing is well suited to the vertical frame. The horizontal throwing open the surroundings but the curving rubber pipe is better emphasised in the vertical as is swings up and round the main subject of the teeth on the gearing.

1/500s f2.8 ISO 100 28mm

1/400s f2.8 ISO 100 28mm

The vertical frame here also compliments the lines of the trailer and shadows. This as before is quite possibly because I was subconsciously looking for a vertical subject. The horizontal is more flat and gives a feeling of poor composition.

1/400s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/1250s f2.8 ISO 100 29mm

Again I found myself creating a close crop of another rectangular subject as I photographer the stack of canoes. When trying to frame the horizontal I had to bring the surf boards into shot distracting the eye away from the neat stacking of the six canoes.

1/1250s f2.8 ISO 100 36mm

1/1250s f2.8 ISO 100 38mm

Focussing on the point of the long boat and using a wide aperture I found both formats worked. The vertical is slightly too tight to the point but allows us to explore along and up into the sky. The horizontal draws us along the boat but feel it then throws us sideways then up and round the top to then come down into the stacked boats on the left.

1/320s f2.8 ISO 100 70mm

1/320s f2.8 ISO 100 70mm

This padlock is surrounded by vertical and horizontal wires on the gate it sits on. Both formats seem to work equally as well, with possibly the horizontal having the edge by throwing us out along the 2 horizontal wires.

1/2000s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

1/1600s f2.8 ISO 100 24mm

Finally I found a landscape scene and tried using the staring jetty's for some lead in lines. Both again very similar with the vertical giving more emphasis on the sky. The horizontal though seems slightly messier.

So on conclusion, I found this exercise very interesting and noticed most scenes/subjects can be shot in either format, some better than others but still possibly. Personally I have always found myself looking for a vertical frame before a horizontal and this may be a flaw I need to give some thought to.

I did find, as suggested in the course notes that with the vertical I would naturally position the subject in the lower half of the frame. This sometimes gives too much space to the upper areas that can possibly be of less interest and unbalance the overall shot.

I plan to use more thought to my framing and will have these examples to remind me of the use each format has.