Now I have seen mentioned in the critique forum a couple of times about where to crop a photo when it comes to limbs but I forgot what they said.
Is it above or below the joint?
When I shoot, I crop with the camera rather that shoot it all and crop later (unless its subtle trimming) Not sure what everyone else does but this works for me. I just take the shot when it looks right to me and move on the the next one. I also zoom in and out throughout the shoot so I get the full body and the close up and the mid range.
I rather have a nice composition focused on the models face and cut off below limbs than ruin the composition trying to cut off above a limb. That's just me though.
Rules are made to be broken...what ever works best for the composition IMO. However...don't crop off the tips of the appendages (toes, fingers, etc.). If you are cropping "in camera" you are limiting yourself...shoot loose and crop later! It allows you much more freedom on the sizes you need.
Rule of Thumb is just ABOVE the joint. I will not argue about when to ignore the rule, or why.
I crop pretty loosely when I shoot. And why not? Things are moving pretty fast in people photography, it's hard to see the whole photo in the viewfinder, and its much easier to crop to taste later, on a big computer screen.
There are also technical reasons to be looser in the camera, like issues of shooting position and depth of field.
I know that the purists are about to hurl electrons at me. So be it.
discovering that rule is like discovering that rocks are good tools. great for those new to toolmaking but pretty primitive in the grand scheme of things. some get overwhelmed by the sheer awesomeness of rocks and refuse to believe there are better tools
learn it, break it, move on to better thinking.
if you intentionally ignore the 'rule' to create an image and someone brings it up.. ignore them.
I think the point is that if you crop on the joint, it looks like amputation. The best idea is to make the crop and ask yourself "does this look like an amputation?"
John Milton Photography wrote: Crop such that the image fits your vision. When you have completed said image, post it in critique and let the OCD rules fanatics lecture you.
I am serious about this part: Crop such that the image fits your vision.
John
Hey John! I do my BEST to stay out of the critique section of this madhouse! If you dont shoot to the liking and style of those there, they rip your work apart!
PBK Photography wrote: Now I have seen mentioned in the critique forum a couple of times about where to crop a photo when it comes to limbs but I forgot what they said.
Is it above or below the joint?
When I shoot, I crop with the camera rather that shoot it all and crop later (unless its subtle trimming) Not sure what everyone else does but this works for me. I just take the shot when it looks right to me and move on the the next one. I also zoom in and out throughout the shoot so I get the full body and the close up and the mid range.
So guys, where do you crop the limbs?
Thanks!
I would assume if you are an artist then you would crop the image to where it is the most aesthetically pleasing to the eyes or evokes the most emotion from the viewer. I do that when I compose and shoot and RARELY EVER crop after the fact. I try to be an artist and am told that my composition and angles are what give me an edge as I am not the best or most experience Photog out there. I do ok though! (lol)
BTW... Why not just shoot amputees? It would make for a very artistic series if done right and with style, taste and class. A local vet hospital should be a great source. You could get the old weathered from the war look as well as the other.
Nic wrote: BTW... Why not just shoot amputees? It would make for a very artistic series if done right and with style, taste and class. A local vet hospital should be a great source. You could get the old weathered from the war look as well as the other.
Use it... Do it! No credit needed.
Nic
I have been wanting to do an amputee shoot for some time but I only shoot girls so the Vets wont do me any good
K A S wrote: Cropping is for Farmers. ~Jerry Avenaim
Do it in camera.
This made more sense when you wanted to keep all of the film grain and clarity that you could... now with 25+ megapixel cameras I stay zoomed out just a tad, just in case somebody needs a nice bleed. :-)
John Milton Photography wrote: Crop such that the image fits your vision. When you have completed said image, post it in critique and let the OCD rules fanatics lecture you.
I am serious about this part: Crop such that the image fits your vision.
