Sunset in the New Forest

[evacguy]

Which version do you prefer?

• ILCE-7M4
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 70.0 mm
• ƒ/2.8
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 100

• ILCE-7M4
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 70.0 mm
• ƒ/2.8
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 100

 

[Brownie]

The silhouette shot works better. The tree fills up so much of the frame, the first version is unpleasant for me to look at. It looks more like it's just in the way, and I feel like I want to back away.

 

[evacguy]

Sunset day2 in the New Forest

• ILCE-7M4
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 70.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 100

• ILCE-7M4
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 75.0 mm
• ƒ/22
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 100

 

[iamdlewis]

For the 1st set of 2 the 2nd image is better but at least for me the tree is just too large in the frame. Of the 2nd set again the 2nd image is better. The 1st of this set the tree again is just too large in the frame and is demanding too much attention. The 2nd image I like but I think it could be improved with a wide crop. You have a nice framing with the trees but they are just a little too much and are pulling attention away from that great sunset. So something kind of like this is what I believe works better:

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

I agree with David here. All of the shots have some potential, and the second batch are better than the first. The way David has used that section of your shot works much better.

 

[evacguy]

I agree with David here. All of the shots have some potential, and the second batch are better than the first. The way David has used that section of your shot works much better.

Thanks Kev and David, I appreciate the comments, and I agree that the crop that David produced looks better. I have an almost identical crop, but as it is not a standard ratio, I didn't post it. I used to crop images how I liked, but someone (in another group) recently suggested I should stick to the standard ratios for cropping, and that is what I have started to do. The image I posted was 2x3, the image below is close to 22 x 10, so not standard. What's the best advice, (a) crop as you like and what looks good to you, (b) stick to close to the standard crop ratios? I guess (b) has the advantage of being appropriate for printing or posting on certain sites e.g., instagram.

• ILCE-7M4
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 75.0 mm
• ƒ/22
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 100

 

[alexpler]

Sunset day2 in the New ForestView attachment 45572View attachment 45573

Those are great and I like the asymmetrical composition of the 1st picture. It just adds to the dramatic atmosphere.

 

[Brownie]

Thanks Kev and David, I appreciate the comments, and I agree that the crop that David produced looks better. I have an almost identical crop, but as it is not a standard ratio, I didn't post it. I used to crop images how I liked, but someone (in another group) recently suggested I should stick to the standard ratios for cropping, and that is what I have started to do. The image I posted was 2x3, the image below is close to 22 x 10, so not standard. What's the best advice, (a) crop as you like and what looks good to you, (b) stick to close to the standard crop ratios? I guess (b) has the advantage of being appropriate for printing or posting on certain sites e.g., instagram.

Neither one works for printing. If you want to print an image and ensure that the portions you want are in the print, you need to crop it to the proper paper size. In my case, 8 x 10 (note exact same ratio as 16 x 20), 11 x 14, (also 22 x 28), 5 x 7, etc. You guys use a different system but it's the same idea.

However, crop ratio is irrelevant for posting online. If you like a ratio don't let people on the internet tell you otherwise. Use it if you like it. M-4/3 cameras shoot 4:3, so another ratio altogether. Sometimes I'll post something in a weird no specific ratio freehand crop just because I like it.

The issue in this post isn't so much crop ratio as it is composition. Same with the sheep images. Fix the composition in the viewfinder and stop depending on post to correct it.

 

[alexpler]

Thanks Kev and David, I appreciate the comments, and I agree that the crop that David produced looks better. I have an almost identical crop, but as it is not a standard ratio, I didn't post it. I used to crop images how I liked, but someone (in another group) recently suggested I should stick to the standard ratios for cropping, and that is what I have started to do. The image I posted was 2x3, the image below is close to 22 x 10, so not standard. What's the best advice, (a) crop as you like and what looks good to you, (b) stick to close to the standard crop ratios? I guess (b) has the advantage of being appropriate for printing or posting on certain sites e.g., instagram.View attachment 45618

The original composition is bolder. It's the other way around: by having a lot of trees blocking the frame, the sunset has much more power and it attracts attention. Like the light winning against dark.

In the recrop, it just feels like you had some branches blocking your view and you didn't know what to make with them.

I recommend reading Michael Freeman's books The photographer's eye and The photographer's mind. You already have good eye and mind but you have to learn to trust them.

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Personal preference for cropping, especially online, but I don't ever free crop. For the most part I use 6x4, but will use square for butterflies and Dragonflies, or sometimes 7x 5 or 4x5. It's really what suits, but just standard ratios.

 

[evacguy]

The original composition is bolder. It's the other way around: by having a lot of trees blocking the frame, the sunset has much more power and it attracts attention. Like the light winning against dark.

In the recrop, it just feels like you had some branches blocking your view and you didn't know what to make with them.

I recommend reading Michael Freeman's books The photographer's eye and The photographer's mind. You already have good eye and mind but you have to learn to trust them.

Thanks Alex, I agree, to me, the images with the tree in the foreground looks much more dramatic and are my favourites. However, I also like the branches framing the sunset in the second batch. Thanks for the reference to the books, I'll look them up.

 

[iamdlewis]

My thoughts on what crops to use. First I don't print at home as there are easier and less frustrating ways to set money on fire, so I use either Whitewall or Artbeats for real prints and Amazon for basically test prints. Second I do think of how I would get images printed when I do crop images and for the most part I do use "standard ratios" for pretty much everything that isn't landscape. For landscape I use what I feel is best for the particular image, the reason I do this is because most often the image is viewed electronically, so the ratio doesn't matter, and second because if I am going to pay to get the image printed I don't want to look at it and think it would have looked better with a different crop.

For me my non-landscape printed images are used in more groups or are part of images that I cycle in and out, so standard ratios work best here. The landscape images tend to be used in a more permeant setting so the ratio is less important.