Spider Strike Cropping
ktuli — Tue, 06/01/2010 - 20:23
So while we're on the subject of different framing, let's talk a bit about cropping to give yourself more framing options.
This is something I'm quite often guilty of not paying attention to, and unfortunately my error is usually in the sense that I crop too tightly in my original photograph (often cutting an element off) and not allowing myself room for software cropping later.
For this photo of a spider pouncing on its prey, I managed to leave myself room to crop...
Technical Data: Canon EOS 7D, Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Di SP LD 1:1 Macro, 1/21 sec at f/8. ISO 200. Dolica AX620B100 tripod. No post production. Kanawha State Forest, Charleston, WV.
After reviewing at home on the computer, I felt the image lacked impact with the spider being small within the frame. So I fired up Photoshop to see what cropping possibilities there were...
I am not entirely sure how I feel about the stem of grass in the vertical crop, but I didn't want to remove it and modify the image much for this discussion. However, the grass works just fine in the horizontal crop.
In general, I'm not really one to do much post production editing to my photos. I don't know if it is a perfectionism kind of thing, or just a dislike for edited photos (though one can argue whether simple cropping is much in the way of editing).
However, if I continue to find examples like this that open multiple possibilities from a single exposure, I may start turning that opinion around.
- Bill
PS: For a better view of this spider, check out my current favorite spider photo
I like this picture - I think it will be helpful for you to keep in mind that every shot doesn't need to be as close as possible, plus it gives you a little flexibility with your final image as you mentioned above.
I prefer the horizontal crop, I think it gives the spider a sense of movement with him parallel to that blade of grass. You can sort of imagine him shimmying up his web to catch the gnat, and so the image becomes more than just a picture of a cool spider. And I don't consider cropping to be editing at all, it is just another option you have for framing your photographs, except you can utilize it after you've already taken the shot. Great job, babe!
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