panoramic image made of 5 different images
This exercise was about cropping and recomposing an image. I chose three of my old photographs and as I examined them, I tried to find a better composition or balance. Sometimes it is a good (or even only) method to remove distracting details from an image. These images show no such example but for example in my pictures from Drag race (Nitro Nationals 2011) elsewhere in my blog, I had to crop some images to remove unwanted details from the foreground.
Example: panoramic image
The first example is a photograph I took while I was riding the Paris – Dakar rally route in Morocco. The route was the same but speed was not =) During that trip I really came to respect those who ride the competition.
The image was ok as I took it. I kind of like it and I have a series of the bikes coming towards me but I chose this because the formation of bikes in in balance. This is the original photograph.
example 1 - original
I thought that this image could do as a horizontal panoramic image. I cropped a great deal of the foreground and a slice of the sky. This is the result.
As you see, I have also edited the photograph intensifying colors. The original photograph is unedited RAW file from a Canon G9 PS camera such as Adobe Lightroom show the image with no edits. This is the case in all of these examples except that the camera I used varies (the second set is Nikon D700 and the third is Panasonic GF1).
I found this cropped version pleasing to my eye and suitable to web-page etc.
This image is showing both the original and the cropped version in one image.
how I cropped the image
Example: repositioning subject
In this second photograph the subject is in the center of the image and there is too much empty space behind the plane. I decided to crop the image so that the plane is not in the center but more in the lower left part of the image. This is the original photograph.
example 2 - original
By leaving more space in front of the plane and enough empty sky, I left space for text if this image would be used on a magazine etc. By cropping one can create photographs better for intended use. In this case a fictitious magazine.
example 2 - cropped version
Below is the original with the cropped version in one image.
how I cropped the image
Example: balancing image
In this third and final example I tried to create a better balance and also remove the big trees on the right side of the image. I also repositioned horizon. This is the original photograph.
example 3 - original
On this cropped version my intention was to create balance so that the sun create one point of interest and the shore and trees give some balance. If the sun is positioned in the middle of the image it would look somewhat bland. This is the cropped version.
example 3 - cropped version
And again, both versions in one image.
How I cropped the photograph
Conclusion
I find cropping and extending (stitching photographs together) a very handy tool. It can help creating a better image if, for some reason, correct framing is not possible at the time of taking the picture. But even if a photographer should remember this possibility, one should never be lazy while framing the photograph and think that it can be corrected in post processing. There is a limit how much cropping is possible without making the image too small to print in desired quality and for example in many photographic contests there are limits how much cropping is allowed.
Tags: crop