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I don't usually play around with cropping my photos. Do you think this photo is better cropped or left at original size?

Original



Cropped

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I like the top one best. It'd have looked even better without the toy in the background.

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Nikon D700 | 20mm f2.8 | 28mm f2.8 | 50mm f1.8 | 70-300 f4-5.6 | SB800 | flickr | serial photography

Because of teh composition its better left un cropped IMHO, sure it would be better with no toy but I bet it was a spur of the moment shot and who wants to be arranging the room and miss the shot.....lol.

She is a little doll...very nice.

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Was that white 'curtain' or whatever on the right side in the photo really there or was that somehow added in the computer? If it was there I guess that is the main reason for wanting to crop it?

You could lob off the white part but keep it full length. You can lose some of the top part and the left side as well. Just keep the colourful toy in the frame. Lose the door knob and the vertical line.

And perhaps a well chosen picture frame border could help obscure the fact that she is partially outside the shot.

Ben

Personally, I think the expression on the girls face, and pose, as well as the feet being 'chopped off' when you took the shot, suggests it's meant for a tighter crop.I also think the toys distract from the main subject because of their colours, and that the white wall on the far right really shouldn't be there as it adds a devide to the shot. Would it be alright if I showed you how I would crop it? I know a lot of people don't like other people messing with their photos.

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Composition, placement and frame have beauty here.

Thou shall not crop.

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I always thought that if you can move around & you have a lens with a decent focal-range,you can skip the cropping stage after worths. This counts as the actually experience of the photographer,but not always. Sometimes you think of a certain frame & you realise it would look better cropped.

The crop here is nice,it "kills" most of the attention given to the toy in the background.

Later edit: May I suggest making one portrait on the playground? The sand sorroundings & the natural light will produce very nice colors.

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If you want to make it into a close up portrait the crop isn't radical enough for my liking. The left and bottom side should be cropped so the toy just disappears from view. Most of her right arm will remain in shot. You'll lose a bit of the sleeve and you get just that bit of asymmetry you'd want.

Unless you want to salvage as much of the original full length pose but want to get rid of the 'offending' white right side. For which what I earlier suggested would work reasonably well I think.

Ben

Gregory.Rotter,
I don't mind if you show me how you would crop the photo. I'm learning and I can use all the advice I can get. The shot wasn't really posed, just caught her in one of those still moments, so the toy and the white wall on the right hand side were unfortunately part of the shot. I've been trying to get a better feel for my 50 mm f/1.8 lens. I'm still learning so I do appreciate everyone's advice.

Cheers,
Chris

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Let me show you how I meant it.

If you want to keep the fuller length version this is an example of how you could do it. Personally I find the toy not so much a distraction in this version because I assume it is possibly/probably hers.

A photo frame with such a partially overlapping effect hides the fact that her left side is partially outside the frame.



If you would go for the tighter crop I would choose something like this.
As much of the arms as possible because it is part of her pose and expression.



Maybe this is what Gregory had in mind too.

Ben

I think the originally photo would have been better if not for the distracting background and cut off legs. The crop is still good though and a nice way to "save" the photo.

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Graham
Flickr

For me the most distracting thing is the door with the large bright reflection.
I vote for cropping!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Hi Chris, this is what I thought originaly, ;



obviously with the rest of her shoulder minus the white wall on the right,

but then thought maybe this version;



But with her feet not chopped off if you see what I mean. On the whole I'd vote for a crop, and for the second crop of the two ive mentioned. Minus the reflection in the door as tomas said as well, although I'm not sure how you would have avoided that, perhaps using bounce flash or in pp in photoshop.

Regards,
-Greg

Regards,
-G

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