I quite often "shoot to crop" knowing that I cannot add more to the photo once I am done shooting. I would rather have the ability to "crop out" what I don't want in the photo. However, If am shooting say a moonrise I will likely shoot the scene as I want the final image.
I like to get close enough so I have wiggle room level to adjust later When I started wildlife photography, I tended to do tight portraits. A weird fact, switching to full frame(R8) helped my composition a lot in that regard.
the only real rule i have on cropping and one i thought you'd mention is ISO, if you having to shoot over your normally best iso dont crop, i use the little M50 and do love it for a few reasons and very happy with it but it does have a poorer clean iso range say upto 400 for very clean and 800 for good, so if i'm in the 800+ i know i really cant crop the image later in post without alot of noise reduction work like you i shoot alot of wildlife with it on 400mm / 600mm but i also love it for its small compact ability when i need it on its efm lenses so cropping wise, alot has to do with the iso but i agree with all the points you made.
Sometimes I crop because to get the shot you don't always have enough time to compose well. I use post processing to compose the shot. Sometimes I can make more than one image out a photo in post processing. People do have to remember you have to get the image before you can do any of that.
Thank you for another coffee break very well spent. You're spot on with the current sensors being so large that you can crop in after the exposure. Here is why I always crop my images, to avoid theft. That's right, some photographers steal your photos and post them as their own (some are pros), don't get me started there. By cropping my posted images, I have the uncropped area as evidence that the photo is indeed mine. This makes copyright challenges easy, and quick, and the thieves remove their claims faster than you can make your next cappuccino. :)
Another reason to compose loosely in camera is if you expect to alter geometry; such as straightening verticals, other perspective correction, or even just rotation. Too many times I have composed too tightly in camera, so that important details are so close to the edges that applying rotation or perspective correction will push those details outside the frame. The higher megapixel sensors today do make it easier to compose loosely for those reasons and also for all of the reasons you mentioned like aspect ratio flexibility, and still have enough pixels left over after cropping and geometric corrections.
@@simon_dentremontor with wide-angles. I used to have to compose differently and accommodate for cropping when I'd do skateboarding videos using what basically amounted to fisheye lenses. When I learned how to crop the image ideally for the end result, I used that to alter my shooting style to more consistently produce results I was happy with.
I love that you're just giving out informations and tips, without saying "it's wrong to crop/not to crop" and not imposing your ideas! This is real wisdom and I'll take great care of it, thanks sir.
The general motto of the puritans also fits for photographic puritans: "You can do whatever you want - as long as you don´t have any fun!" Or to be a little bit more serious: It's the subject and the composition that defines the aspect ratio, not the camera maker.
Not really, the reason for the no-cropping recommendation is more from the past when you didn't have as many pixels to work with. 20 years ago when a camera would get 6mp, you didn't have a lot of them that could be thrown away without significantly shrinking the printable image. Even then if you wanted a different shape of an image than the sensor, you had to crop it. That being said, I wish there were better tools available now for storing information about crops so that you don't have to manually do it multiple times if you decide you want to reprocess a raw image.
I was thinking this, just today! If only Raw Therapee I could define several crops, but then continue applying my changes, and the crops get sliced out of the improved image only at processing time...yielding multiple resultant JPEGs. @@SmallSpoonBrigade
Another reason why cropping has to be acceptable - even to purists who argue that it isn't - is that viewfinders don't always have 100% coverage. For example my ancient Nikon D5000 (still producing great images 15 years later) has a viewfinder coverage of 95% of the total image size which means if you've cropped absolutely perfectly in camera you're in for a bit of a disappointment when you view the actual image as there'll be a little bit extra you couldn't see through the viewfinder which you'll have to crop if you want to produce the image you thought you were getting. I know some cameras (possibly all cameras now) have greater viewfinder coverage but the principal remains. Another argument that you'll lose pixels is only relevant if you crop the image in both aspects - if you crop only the height of the image to create a more "panoramic" result the pixel density is not altered, just the total number of pixels, so resolution is unaffected. Great video as always Simon - keep 'em coming.
I like you mention purists. Those war those you invented the "standard in art" To them - everything has to be perfect, pure, no deviation from what they decided is art and the one and only thing that is pure. Everything else, that is meeting their standard is - well - not pure.
@@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp Also the same people who don't crop their photos also seem to have no problem whizzing the sliders around in Lightroom and removing powerlines in Photoshop to result in an image that was nothing like what was before them at the time of capture. Mind you, don't get me going on AI.....
It depends what sort of photography you're doing, but in general, you're supposed to be aware of what's right outside of the frame so that doesn't happen. The things that are just barely intruding into the frame are also things that can suddenly fill a significant portion of the frame if a sudden breeze arises or the bug moves.
I'm somewhat of an old school photographer in the sense that most of my work was done on Leicas, Speed Graphics, Panon and Widelux panoramic cameras, Hasselblads, and Sinar Bron monorails. All on film... I was lucky enough to hang out in NYC back in the 80s with fellows like Bob Schwalberg, who was a writer for Popular Photography in the 50s and 60s, (he was Senior Technical Editor for them the year I was born, 1956) and who also worked for Leica (E.Leitz, Wetzlar) in product design, and public relations. He once told me a quote, from some famous photo editor that he knew back in the day, (I wish I remembered who it was) but the quote was quite memorable in regard to cropping. The pronouncement was thus: "The world's greatest photos are created at the precise instant that... ...the grease pen touches the contact sheet." Of course, most people, during that pregnant pause, would think "...the precise instant that the finger trips the shutter"; and we know of course that that is also true. But from the outlook of this photo editor, it was his art to discover the most striking images hiding on those tiny contact sheets. Being friends with Bob was like being friends with a living, breathing encyclopedia of photography. He also happened to be quite an excellent photographer, and he must have had a similar opinion of my work, because he recommended me for quite a few assignments, and also was most generous with giving me his ongoing critique, for which I will be eternally grateful. I'm frequently reminded of funny little anecdotes of his like this one, when I'm reading or watching content on photography. BTW, greetings to you in Canada, Simon! I was born in Toronto, although I moved to NYC in the mid 80s, and have finally ended up living in Arizona. I haven't had the pleasure of visiting Canada in quite a few years, but I still feel my roots there, more and more as I get older... I've subscribed to your channel, and look forward to more of your essays.
Cropping for composition is an essential learning curve. I’ve only recently started photography and have taken lots of photos that I thought were interesting only to find that cropping them makes them better, so I have started to learn from that and now composing the shots better. Never be afraid to do something that helps you become better, just because the practice is ridiculed by others. Thanks for this video, much appreciated 🙏🏻
After we got our wedding photos back, I noticed a whole load of nice candid moments that had occurred in parts of various photos. Cropping to pull out a "photo within a photo" worked amazingly and they ended up being some of our favourite photos of the day. If you have enough resolution to do it, it's always worth looking around your photos for any unintentional keepers.
@@ac1646 We got a couple of shots of grandparents (from both sides) sharing a joke, one of my wife talking jibberish with my 1 year old nephew and a couple of others with people just chatting away/being merry, that were otherwise just background noise. Thankfully they were in focus and made lovely additions to thank you cards that we sent out after the wedding.
Someone with some sense, finally! Shooting wide and cropping saved me a couple of years of editing as an event/wedding photographer when I missed (even slightly) in camera. Having room to pick the best lines -upon further reflection- also improved my work. Thanks -a random mike
It's viable now in a way that it didn't used to be because images have more pixels now than they used to. A 10% reduction in the used portion of the frame was a lot bigger deal 20 years ago.
I remember using film. Film had a similar downside to low pixel cameras. The more you crop, the more resolution you lose. There's a clear limit based on your specific equipment to how much you can oversize the frame and still end up with a good photo cropped to the size that you actually want.
I had a neighbor that was artistically inclined. When I would get a couple rolls back from processing I would take them over and she would go through them and give critique. She often used her hands to crop images to see if they could be improved. It really helped me with composition. I kind of wish I had stuck with it. I was kind of expecting this to be a discussion on why leaving extra room in photos wasn't a bad thing. I was not disappointed. Thanks.
I started over 50 yrs ago in the film/negative/enlargement era and every time you put paper in a darkroom easel and adjusted the framing blades, or ran the enlarger up or down, you were cropping. It's been done since the days of W.H. Jackson and Matthew Brady and those guys were the real deal.
My Dad taught me the basics of photography. He isn't big into editing, but the one thing he did do a lot of was cropping. He didn't care too much if he shot slightly too wide or slightly off center because he could fix it in post (as long as there was enough wiggle room). I learned to photograph with a similar style and quite frankly, I kinda like the freedom it gives me vs having to set up the perfect composition every time.
I love your freedom philosophy, hence the subscription. A couple years ago I had a meeting and I had one of those I-must-take-a-photo-of-that moments and so I snapped a couple shots with my phone. They turned out nice, nothing great, but then a couple months later I made an accidental swipe on my phone and was presented with this fantastic image. I was like wow, beautiful, I wonder who took that? Then it dawned on me, that was my photo. The phone had taken one of those photos I took that day and produced this beautiful image by cropping my shot and changing the focus to something I would have never thought would make a good subject. I admire and respect those who believe that cropping outside the initial taking of the image is not true artistic photography. On the other hand, there is a lot of beauty being camouflaged even in those great photos that were properly framed to begin with.
As a motorsports fan/photographer I totally agree it is almost impossible to shoot moving race cars with out some cropping to get a good finished photo. Your photos of the whale with the boat in the background reminded me. We visited N.S. in late September and got on a whale watching boat out of East Ferry, the last of the season. We saw no less than 10 Hump Backs, Seals and some Bald Eagle. Lots of great photos. Thank you for your inspiring videos.
Had some very busy time relocating and didn't have enough time for photos. Went out finally yesterday morning in my new/old place back in Poland. Literally just got out of the village into the fields and boom - group of waxings, boom bullfinch, boom big flock of yellowhammers. Made me realise how much I like this stuff. I've sat there in a little chair I carry with me and those creatures actually got used to me quickly. Frosty morning - wild birds - me and no more humans - heaven! I must say that probably for even longer time I've not had enough time for TH-cam. When watched your video today it felt... Weirdly good. Very good. You've got a skill to talk sir and I'm glad that I'm not so crazy busy anymore. I can have my wildlife photography time and "Simon skill share" time too. Thnaks a million for your stunning job ✌️📷👍
I like the " bird in a box" comment as that applies to many subjects such as motor racing, aircraft, railway loco shots etc. I have often made that mistake and wished I had included something to show the area around the subject.
I've often heard the "real photographers don't crop" argument from "advanced amateurs" and even some pros. I shoot motorsports professionally and wholeheartedly agree that the best images I've produced most often include some amount of cropping. Great video!
Thank you for this. I know that many people say not to crop, but I agree with you that depending on the magnification you are using, you might not be able to fill the frame.
I do shoots for my restaurant clients and i always need text space so shooting with a large perspective but with 50-80mm helps a alot. This episode cleared my view about even i had any doubts. So, Bravo.
Very helpful video ❤ … there is one comment I have. The moment someone decides to take a picture is already the moment this very person is doing a crop. It does not matter whether the crop is applied „in camera“ or in post. The only difference is that in post I may have additional options assuming some care was applied with the composition out of the camera.
Cropping allows me to view the image with fresh eyes again. It can completely alter my appreciation of the picture. The same can happen when I switch to black-and-white. I've learned you should never dismiss a picture too soon. Simple edits can breathe new life into an image.
Good advice! Even (maybe I should say Especially) Ansel Adams used to crop his images. Really, I get quite annoyed at people who say that you should just take whatever comes out of your camera. The aim is to make a nice picture, not to show off how clever at operating the camera you are. Of course, really understanding how your camera works and how to use it in each situation is important, but the process of making a great picture does not end when you click the shutter.
One can be a literal photographer, or an artistic photographer. The literal retains the scene, to the best of their memory, and reproduce the colors seen live. The artistic will take the image and adjust it to their vision. Both are necessary and beautiful
When I trained at Photographic College we first learnt composition in Art, then framing in Camera and finally cropping, over the years that little knowledge has helped me maximise quality in commercial work, especially Architectural work where cropping after shooting is quite rare!
Thank you for the interesting video.😀 As a professional amateur sports photographer I have to crop pictures. 50% are skewed anyway. Good photos are created by: - Shooting at the right moment from the right angle with the right settings. - Selecting the good photos (very important) - Straightening and selecting the right section (2nd photograph, was already the case in the darkroom) - Image editing if necessary
As a graphic designer, I loved this video. I've spent years cropping to get the most out of a pic, and have had enough frustrations with shots not having enough space for changing the aspect ratio and/or adding text. Your photos are suburb BTW.
I love cropping my pics - they almost always look better to me after I have done so, and I love experimenting. I have now discovered that I much prefer a looser crop showing some environment. Real closeups of birds or animals look like they belong in an ID book! I'm not a professional though - I just share my pics on my Facebook or have them put on canvas for my own enjoyment! They work for me and that is what matters!
Art is always progressing, evolving and challenging boundaries. Much of art is defiant of rules. Think of the many great artist have ignored the rules, blazing new trails. Don't let someone else's rules get in the way of how you express your art.
I like cropping, especially since i sometimes want the ability to perfectly place the subject where i want it. Even if its just a little bit, it can help the image composition a lot. As a non- 20 year-super expert photorgrapher, i really need it! 😅
100%. People have a tendency to mistake guidelines and common practices for requirements. Most techniques are taught with the goal of equipping someone with the knowledge of what general ideas and methods worked for people in the past, which allows them to achieve similar results if that is what they are aiming for. The more of these techniques that we learn, the more finely-tuned the decision-making process becomes, and the more artistic freedom to express ourselves and develop our unique style we gain. But so many people take these as prescriptive mandates, as if the prolific artists of the past were the ultimate authority on the "right way" to work. But really, best practices and methods are developed by way of analyzing how someone talented and experienced worked intuitively, and we create the theory behind it as a result of that art rather than the artist actually having those ideas in mind while they were making it in the first place.
Agreed. And using AI as a photography tool is the latest purist war. Do what you want. And if the photography contest rules say you can’t-why are you entering photography contests???
Simon, you did it again. Another tip that will improve my photography: when cropping, especially nature, include some features of the environment. No “bird in a box.” Brilliant! Thank you.
@@BackcountryBrete You wouldn't have simply added quotes in, to make it appear as if you're quoting a reliable source, would you? That doesn't seem to be a quote taken from merriam-webster under the definition of professional. This is why I ask.
@@BackcountryBrete "professional 1 of 2 adjective 1 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b : engaged in one of the learned professions c(1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace 2 a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs a professional golfer b : having a particular profession as a permanent career a professional soldier c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return professional football 3 : following a line of conduct as though it were a profession a professional patriot" professional 2 of 2 noun : one that is professional especially : one that engages in a pursuit or activity professionally" - merriam-webster Here, in this example, we can see I just corrected you, in a professional manner, as to the definition of "professional." You may not have "liked it" and no one "liked it so much, they payed me" for doing it. However, it was a correction, performed in a professional manner, nonetheless.
@BackcountryBrete no photo you take will please everyone. If it's your favourite photo you've ever taken, that's good enough - some will hate it, some will love it 📸
I'm an amateur photographer and I've just recently come to the realisation that cropping was a possibility. The timing of this video was perfect for me and the insights are much appreciated.
It is, it's not a great practice, but there are times when it's appropriate. The issue I take with it is that camera manufacturers don't include decent tools for storing information about crops when converting raw files. Which means that if you want to reconvert the file, you have to re-crop it and if you've got a ton of images to process, that can be super annoying.
Good thought provoking video. One of the first 'cropping' I do is to rotate the image a bit to get perfect horizontals and/or verticals, if necesssary. This of course only applies to certain type of images e.g. land/sea scapes and architecture.
Easily one of the best professional education/tutorial videos I've ever seen. 11:19 packed with clearly articulated, well illustrated explanations of concepts.
Just wanted to express my appreciation for the incredible work you do on your photography channel. Your videos have been an invaluable resource on my journey to becoming a better photographer. I love how your content is always direct and filled with practical tips, cutting out unnecessary filler material. Even though I still have a long way to go, your guidance has made a significant impact on my skills. Thank you
Also real talk, in a professional setting where everything is controlled, even then cropping is needed. I’m a product and still life photographer who’s been working as staff for the last decade and more often then not we have to shoot with equipment that isn’t “long enough” or “fast enough” so we just have to crop or compensate in one way or another. The trick with being a pro is knowing when to throw the “rules” away to accomplish the vision
I must admit that I do crop a lot. While I understand that sneaker-zooming all photos for composition can be a great exercise, I accept that in shooting nature, it's often not possible or practical. One thing I keep in mind when cropping animals is that pictures nearly always look better when the subject has room to move in the direction they're looking, so even when I crop, I leave plenty of space for context and movement; an image of an animal with its nose on the edge of the frame will rarely look good. All that said, I have little fear, as I printed cropped photos taken with a Canon 50D (15MP) as big as 15x19 that came out great.
I had just started doing sports photography recently and heard the "cropping is a bad habit" advice which only frustrated me when I struggled to get the subject where I wanted it in frame. So I texted a family friend that's done professional photography including sports since before I was born and she replied "Leave yourself some wiggle room in frame and crop in light room"
RC Concepcion once said on Scott Kelby's show "Do what serves the image." Such a simple way to put it, and it changed how I approached editing completely. Unless shooting for spec it doesn't matter what I do to get the image I want. Crop, punch up the contrast, etc.
I am brand new to photography and I have watched almost every single one of your videos in the last month. You are an incredible teacher and make photography easy to learn even if you know absolutely nothing (like me). Just wanted to thank you for your hard work on this channel, I wouldn't have a fraction of the knowledge I now have about photography if not for you! And best of all you make your videos short, concise, and fun! Thank you
It's crazy that anyone thinks you're required to get the precise composition in camera. Sure, it's good to get as close as possible, but like most things in photography, this shouldn't be a hard and fast rule. I've learned that I love the 16:9 ratio and often compose photos in camera to later crop to that ratio. It's especially useful with wide angle lenses that get a bit too much sky in the frame. I really appreciate these sensible videos that are actually helpful for all photographers. Keep it up!
I think the whole “don’t crop” purists are hypocritical. Do they not post-process any of their images in Photoshop? What, they couldn’t get the exposure, contrast, saturation, etc. dead right when they released the shutter? ‘Nuff said. Cropping is just another useful post-processing tool. Use whatever tools are available to make the image that pleases you. And as you mention, cropping - like any other tool - can be over-used. So do so judiciously 👍
I’ve been watching your videos for some months now, as fairly new to photography. I subscribe to several TH-camrs, but you are by the far the one from which I get most value - keep it coming please!
Simon, Your cropping video has so many good points. Especially leaving more room to have crop choices in post processing. I have learned many great points, over this past year, from your TH-cam channel videos and your course on the Journal of Wildlife Photography! Keep up the great work!
I find that trying to crop to get the best of a photo is a great way to discover that that photo you really kind of like is not really very good to begin with. Which is a learning thing.As for cropping in general , it is only the final image that matters.
I've been an output professional for well over 30 years so I approach cropping from a manufacturing standpoint. If you want your image to look like you want it always provide enough image in the frame for a physical crop during the manufacturing process.
Cropping can be essential to produce the best possible image. Seldom are images perfectly framed in-camera, especially when shooting wildlife or sports where the subjects are uncontrollable and/or moving. It's a skill I've learned to use well as a working journalist, especially to ensure the image works as well as possible in the layout.
Hi Simon. I remember asking you in a comment on another video, some time ago, to talk about aspect ratios. I'm so glad you took notice of the suggestion and included this in the video. It's awesome to know that, even with so many subscribers, you still listen and interact with the community in such an positive and active way!.Much appreciated!
I discovered the aspect ratio bit back in the 70’s when I was learning photography, and (b&w) darkroom techniques. My 35mm camera provided a 3:2 aspect ratio. But if I wanted to make a 5x7 or 8x10, then my photo would be, well, cropped. I realized 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 etc are arbitrary (though accepted) standards.
Simon, watching your videos is a journey in itself, its crazy. Thank you so much for all this information. I don't fully understand cropping and the theory behind doing it, but I'm sure ill get there!
I've never had a problem with cropping. I'm not a pro, it's all just for me, so I don't care what anybody thinks about cropping. My first digital camera was a 1-megapixel Kodak. No one in my circle had even heard of a digital camera yet (1996?). With all of the megapixels in cameras today, there's plenty of room to crop and still get a great-quality photo. I've been shooting since 1978. I got all the technical stuff down, but I never have developed that oh-so-important artistic 'eye'. Your photos are truly awesome!
I had an old digital Sony camera that took floppy disks! Nothing quite like loading a huge floppy into the a: drive on a camera. I think each disk held like 15 images of 1.5 megapixel photos lol
My favorite use of cropping is to imitate the Hasselblad Xpan aspect ratio. It's also super helpful for re-framing street photos that I might not have been happy with in the full aspect.
Larger prints are often seen from a distance so it doesn't need fine small pixels, 6 mpx is good for a house wall, high megapixel is great for editing and coping, according to me... But am I right? Do you have any episodes about megapixel, I still love my old 6 mpx camera.
Came here to see if anyone else had said this, you're 100% right. Those ads a few years back with "shot on an iPhone" and an image on a billboard really annoyed me, because I knew most people wouldn't understand that when you're viewing something from so far back, something that size is probably like 2MP.
I like cropping to get a more creative shot or a lot of times getting rid of things that are distracting along the outside edges of my photo. I'm always trying to get a perfect crop in the field but it's rare that I get it perfect. That's why I love having the option to crop.
I started with Photography back in the film days. We were taught to shoot wide and crop in the dark room. The reason for this was if you filled your space you missed so much that could be possible compositional Elements. Thank you for this video. It is much needed.
I have heard this often while shooting film as well. You can always shrink the frame, but you can't expand it. This, despite film clearly showing far more grain any time you crop. The overall image always take precedence over things like image quality. Afterall, the first thing anyone sees is the image itself. They can quibble over it's fine details and technical aspects later.
Hey Simon, the algorithm popped you up on my TH-cam and I'm glad it did. Really great video. About ten years ago I got into DSLR photography, but lately it has slipped to using my Google Pixel phone. But everything you discussed still works for me. I look forward to seeing more of your stuff. (Also great to see an old Barrax alumni after many years...)
I enjoy cropping my photos depending on what the subject is doing. Plus you always encourage us to be creative and take a chance when it comes to photography. 😊
I am a newbie, just dabbling in it, however cropping is my absolute go to. It can transform a good pic into a great one. It seems to me so far this is the power of photography for me; singling out a specific detail and eliminating the extra information. It seems sorta wrong, but it is informative to what I subsequently take a photo of and how I frame it. Maybe in time I will learn to get the frame and composition “great”, but cropping is what is showing me the way at the moment.
Nothing wrong with cropping. Great advice. Appropriate lens or zoom lens helps a lot to frame it well, less cropping. I don't own a appropriate lens or lenses for what I shoot, so this means award positions, standing far away, and when suitable using a tripod, and cropping. But once I get new appropriate lens I will crop less. Full frame gives a lot of room to crop change framing. Currently only own a 85mm 1.8 lens,
Great video! To be honest, I crop a lot and I always did. I absolutely love the opportunity to give a photo so many directions in the editing process and since I do 99% animals/pets I'm much more engaged with finding an authentic expression of my models than with positioning them, getting the frame right and then hoping to get a good look from the already annoyed horse or dog. I crop so much that I'll probably buy myself a camera with more pixels this year.😃
I often shoot at airshows where the action is not only fast but also three dimensional. In those shoots I use center focus with the intention of cropping because trying to get the perfect composition of a subject moving at as much as almost mach 1 is slightly less than impossible. I also shoot a lot of garden macros and shooting to crop makes it much easier to deal with the myriad random intrusions. when shooting portraits or staged images I shoot to fill the frame. IMHO, the correct answer to "crop or don't crop?" is, "It depends."
Great advice Simon I agree with everything you say here. I believe that unless your entering shots for competition or stock the world is your oyster. Do what you like. Photography is an art after-all. You don't have rules in every facet of your life. I love my togging as I'm sure purists do too, but their rules mean nothing to me. I also have another reason that you may agree with as a reason to crop is if your lens is not sharp edge to edge. Most imperfections that cause CA show at the edge of the frame. In that case it could be advantageous to shoot your subject in the middle and "frame for composition" in software afterwards.... Love the channel fella.
My dad was an amateur photographer back in the days when everything was analog. He would take _forever_ setting up his shots, which were mostly of mushrooms, stumps, and flowers. Digital editing wasn't a thing then and he didn't have his own dark room so he had to make sure he got it right in the moment. Some of his photos are stunning and we (family) all have prints of his work on our walls. We tried to convince him to publish a book of his best photos but he wasn't interested. It was just a private passion for him. But he fell out of love with photography as digital cameras took over. I think he felt it trivialized the effort and artistry he put into his photos. When I compare how he worked back then to how I now snap pics willy nilly with my phone, I can see why he felt that.
So glad you mentioned about images for magazines. As a magazine designer, it’s really frustrating getting images that have been cropped or shot too tightly to fit the page or the magazine’s layout grid. Like you said, always leave space around the main subject if you want it to go in a magazine, even if it’s just to allow for the bleed on a full page or a double spread. It’s easier to crop the image, than add to it. Or sometimes, as you experienced, it will just not get used. And always ask the art department for any specific specifications and send the image full resolution and cropped. You can suggest a particular crop you would like, but if it doesn’t fit the magazine’s format, you have to be a little flexible if you want it published. It’s called being a professional.
I always crop my photos to share with friends and family on mobile. Getting a photo to fit well onto a phone screen makes it very impactful, unlike the originals which are 90% landscape mode and get shrunk when viewing on mobile.
Eastern NS, hey paisano! 😛 I'm half Acadian Franco-American, my mom was from Madawaska, Maine. 😊 Good advice here. I just take photos mostly for my own enjoyment, and mostly wildlife, so I do a lot of cropping.
Your videos are getting better and better. All very clear explained and also in this video I recognized again some basic mistakes I make. Thank you for providing so many useful resources
These days I care less about cropped photos and more about AI manipulated photos, claiming to be real. Talk about a complete lack of any moral compass.
If you’re using ai on nature/wildlife photos and saying it’s real that’s pretty messed up. I use AI all the time for product photos and social media stuff though. I love the “generative fill” feature in photoshop for fixing up any missing areas or covering up weird looking objects
A whole lot of very useful advice here Simon! I shot film from the 1960 until 1999, in those days and shooting slide film, cropping was not so easy. It took me years to start cropping or shooting a bit wide to crop later.
Hey Simon, i started photography a couple months ago and your channel has helped me loads. Your videos are super professional, very well explained and informative, and your backlighting is just peachy. Keep up the great work, you're an inspiration sir.
I mostly do model-focused photography. There are so many times I'll find myself jumping back and forth from landscape to portrait while taking the picture. When that happens, it's typically because the picture wants to be square. I've learned to just go with landscape and realize I'll crop later, anyways. No one ever talks about square pictures, but it's actually best for Instagram, anyway, if someone is looking at your page.
Hi Simon, I do Crop when nessesary but when I'm shooting with my Smartphone I try to avoid it. Love the Bird in the Box Mug Shot example 👏. This video was very useful to me because I didn't realise the different Focal Lengths effect the end result in Cropping. Thanks Simon I learned something I didn't know before. 😊
As an avid photographer of aerial displays, I choose shorter zoom lens rather than the super telephotos my friends use. There is less chance for me to accidently cut off parts of the aircraft. And with aircraft equip with smoke generator, shooting wider allows me to select the best framing to show off the colourful smoke trail.
Amazing video as always Simon. You’ve mentioned entering photography competitions. I think it will be great if you make an entire video on that topic, where to find photography competitions and how to enter them and some tips on winning them. What do you think?
Hi Simon, thank you very much for the great new video - I really appreciate the fact that you are clearing up outdated "rules" in photography and destroying myths. I agree with Freemann Patterson: "There is only one rule in photography! Never develop color film in chicken noodle soup!"
In a photography class we once discussed "making" a photo vs. "taking" a photo. It took a bit to let go of getting the "perfect shot" but as a result I'm a much more creative/artistic photographer!
Thank you, your video, it inspires me, helps rationalize not guess, especially proportions, where to apply accorting to my audience. Strength and limits. And not to overdo it....
Do you like cropping your photos? What’s your reason?
I quite often "shoot to crop" knowing that I cannot add more to the photo once I am done shooting. I would rather have the ability to "crop out" what I don't want in the photo. However, If am shooting say a moonrise I will likely shoot the scene as I want the final image.
I like to get close enough so I have wiggle room level to adjust later
When I started wildlife photography, I tended to do tight portraits.
A weird fact, switching to full frame(R8) helped my composition a lot in that regard.
the only real rule i have on cropping and one i thought you'd mention is ISO, if you having to shoot over your normally best iso dont crop, i use the little M50 and do love it for a few reasons and very happy with it but it does have a poorer clean iso range say upto 400 for very clean and 800 for good, so if i'm in the 800+ i know i really cant crop the image later in post without alot of noise reduction work
like you i shoot alot of wildlife with it on 400mm / 600mm but i also love it for its small compact ability when i need it on its efm lenses
so cropping wise, alot has to do with the iso but i agree with all the points you made.
no
Sometimes I crop because to get the shot you don't always have enough time to compose well. I use post processing to compose the shot. Sometimes I can make more than one image out a photo in post processing. People do have to remember you have to get the image before you can do any of that.
“this is a mugshot, not a piece of art.”
😂😂😂😂 I love it 👌 Simon is a whole mood 🔥🔥🔥
Quote of the day!
I got a good laugh from that. :)
I do love a good mugshot, especially animals.
Thank you for another coffee break very well spent. You're spot on with the current sensors being so large that you can crop in after the exposure. Here is why I always crop my images, to avoid theft. That's right, some photographers steal your photos and post them as their own (some are pros), don't get me started there. By cropping my posted images, I have the uncropped area as evidence that the photo is indeed mine. This makes copyright challenges easy, and quick, and the thieves remove their claims faster than you can make your next cappuccino. :)
Great point!
Same here! The rudimentary yet effective anti-theft method.
How are they stealing your photos that you haven't posted?
This is really smart and something I've not heard of! Thank you for sharing this.
I'm sorry but if you took the photo and posted it can't you just prove it by using the RAW file?
Went out for a shoot today, I could hear Simon’s voice in my ear nearly every time I framed a shot. Very sound advice, thank you!
Another reason to compose loosely in camera is if you expect to alter geometry; such as straightening verticals, other perspective correction, or even just rotation. Too many times I have composed too tightly in camera, so that important details are so close to the edges that applying rotation or perspective correction will push those details outside the frame. The higher megapixel sensors today do make it easier to compose loosely for those reasons and also for all of the reasons you mentioned like aspect ratio flexibility, and still have enough pixels left over after cropping and geometric corrections.
Super true in Panoramas, where the edges get really distorted.
@@simon_dentremontor with wide-angles. I used to have to compose differently and accommodate for cropping when I'd do skateboarding videos using what basically amounted to fisheye lenses. When I learned how to crop the image ideally for the end result, I used that to alter my shooting style to more consistently produce results I was happy with.
I love that you're just giving out informations and tips, without saying "it's wrong to crop/not to crop" and not imposing your ideas! This is real wisdom and I'll take great care of it, thanks sir.
The general motto of the puritans also fits for photographic puritans: "You can do whatever you want - as long as you don´t have any fun!"
Or to be a little bit more serious: It's the subject and the composition that defines the aspect ratio, not the camera maker.
Love that last line. million likes.
Not really, the reason for the no-cropping recommendation is more from the past when you didn't have as many pixels to work with. 20 years ago when a camera would get 6mp, you didn't have a lot of them that could be thrown away without significantly shrinking the printable image. Even then if you wanted a different shape of an image than the sensor, you had to crop it.
That being said, I wish there were better tools available now for storing information about crops so that you don't have to manually do it multiple times if you decide you want to reprocess a raw image.
I was thinking this, just today! If only Raw Therapee I could define several crops, but then continue applying my changes, and the crops get sliced out of the improved image only at processing time...yielding multiple resultant JPEGs.
@@SmallSpoonBrigade
The "mugshot" think cracked me up! Guilty as charged!
Another reason why cropping has to be acceptable - even to purists who argue that it isn't - is that viewfinders don't always have 100% coverage. For example my ancient Nikon D5000 (still producing great images 15 years later) has a viewfinder coverage of 95% of the total image size which means if you've cropped absolutely perfectly in camera you're in for a bit of a disappointment when you view the actual image as there'll be a little bit extra you couldn't see through the viewfinder which you'll have to crop if you want to produce the image you thought you were getting. I know some cameras (possibly all cameras now) have greater viewfinder coverage but the principal remains. Another argument that you'll lose pixels is only relevant if you crop the image in both aspects - if you crop only the height of the image to create a more "panoramic" result the pixel density is not altered, just the total number of pixels, so resolution is unaffected. Great video as always Simon - keep 'em coming.
I like you mention purists. Those war those you invented the "standard in art" To them - everything has to be perfect, pure, no deviation from what they decided is art and the one and only thing that is pure. Everything else, that is meeting their standard is - well - not pure.
@@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp Also the same people who don't crop their photos also seem to have no problem whizzing the sliders around in Lightroom and removing powerlines in Photoshop to result in an image that was nothing like what was before them at the time of capture. Mind you, don't get me going on AI.....
It depends what sort of photography you're doing, but in general, you're supposed to be aware of what's right outside of the frame so that doesn't happen. The things that are just barely intruding into the frame are also things that can suddenly fill a significant portion of the frame if a sudden breeze arises or the bug moves.
Some lenses can have a slight bit of a problem in the corners, since they are round and the photo is rectangular, that you may choose to crop out.
I'm somewhat of an old school photographer in the sense that most of my work was done on Leicas, Speed Graphics, Panon and Widelux panoramic cameras, Hasselblads, and Sinar Bron monorails. All on film...
I was lucky enough to hang out in NYC back in the 80s with fellows like Bob Schwalberg, who was a writer for Popular Photography in the 50s and 60s, (he was Senior Technical Editor for them the year I was born, 1956) and who also worked for Leica (E.Leitz, Wetzlar) in product design, and public relations. He once told me a quote, from some famous photo editor that he knew back in the day, (I wish I remembered who it was) but the quote was quite memorable in regard to cropping.
The pronouncement was thus:
"The world's greatest photos are created at the precise instant that...
...the grease pen touches the contact sheet."
Of course, most people, during that pregnant pause, would think "...the precise instant that the finger trips the shutter"; and we know of course that that is also true. But from the outlook of this photo editor, it was his art to discover the most striking images hiding on those tiny contact sheets.
Being friends with Bob was like being friends with a living, breathing encyclopedia of photography. He also happened to be quite an excellent photographer, and he must have had a similar opinion of my work, because he recommended me for quite a few assignments, and also was most generous with giving me his ongoing critique, for which I will be eternally grateful. I'm frequently reminded of funny little anecdotes of his like this one, when I'm reading or watching content on photography.
BTW, greetings to you in Canada, Simon! I was born in Toronto, although I moved to NYC in the mid 80s, and have finally ended up living in Arizona. I haven't had the pleasure of visiting Canada in quite a few years, but I still feel my roots there, more and more as I get older...
I've subscribed to your channel, and look forward to more of your essays.
Cropping for composition is an essential learning curve. I’ve only recently started photography and have taken lots of photos that I thought were interesting only to find that cropping them makes them better, so I have started to learn from that and now composing the shots better. Never be afraid to do something that helps you become better, just because the practice is ridiculed by others. Thanks for this video, much appreciated 🙏🏻
After we got our wedding photos back, I noticed a whole load of nice candid moments that had occurred in parts of various photos. Cropping to pull out a "photo within a photo" worked amazingly and they ended up being some of our favourite photos of the day. If you have enough resolution to do it, it's always worth looking around your photos for any unintentional keepers.
That is a great point.
@@ac1646 We got a couple of shots of grandparents (from both sides) sharing a joke, one of my wife talking jibberish with my 1 year old nephew and a couple of others with people just chatting away/being merry, that were otherwise just background noise. Thankfully they were in focus and made lovely additions to thank you cards that we sent out after the wedding.
Someone with some sense, finally! Shooting wide and cropping saved me a couple of years of editing as an event/wedding photographer when I missed (even slightly) in camera. Having room to pick the best lines -upon further reflection- also improved my work. Thanks -a random mike
It's viable now in a way that it didn't used to be because images have more pixels now than they used to. A 10% reduction in the used portion of the frame was a lot bigger deal 20 years ago.
LOL True but that's why there was medium format.@@SmallSpoonBrigade
I remember using film. Film had a similar downside to low pixel cameras. The more you crop, the more resolution you lose. There's a clear limit based on your specific equipment to how much you can oversize the frame and still end up with a good photo cropped to the size that you actually want.
I had a neighbor that was artistically inclined. When I would get a couple rolls back from processing I would take them over and she would go through them and give critique. She often used her hands to crop images to see if they could be improved. It really helped me with composition. I kind of wish I had stuck with it. I was kind of expecting this to be a discussion on why leaving extra room in photos wasn't a bad thing. I was not disappointed. Thanks.
I started over 50 yrs ago in the film/negative/enlargement era and every time you put paper in a darkroom easel and adjusted the framing blades, or ran the enlarger up or down, you were cropping. It's been done since the days of W.H. Jackson and Matthew Brady and those guys were the real deal.
My Dad taught me the basics of photography. He isn't big into editing, but the one thing he did do a lot of was cropping. He didn't care too much if he shot slightly too wide or slightly off center because he could fix it in post (as long as there was enough wiggle room). I learned to photograph with a similar style and quite frankly, I kinda like the freedom it gives me vs having to set up the perfect composition every time.
I love your freedom philosophy, hence the subscription. A couple years ago I had a meeting and I had one of those I-must-take-a-photo-of-that moments and so I snapped a couple shots with my phone. They turned out nice, nothing great, but then a couple months later I made an accidental swipe on my phone and was presented with this fantastic image. I was like wow, beautiful, I wonder who took that? Then it dawned on me, that was my photo. The phone had taken one of those photos I took that day and produced this beautiful image by cropping my shot and changing the focus to something I would have never thought would make a good subject. I admire and respect those who believe that cropping outside the initial taking of the image is not true artistic photography. On the other hand, there is a lot of beauty being camouflaged even in those great photos that were properly framed to begin with.
As a motorsports fan/photographer I totally agree it is almost impossible to shoot moving race cars with out some cropping to get a good finished photo. Your photos of the whale with the boat in the background reminded me. We visited N.S. in late September and got on a whale watching boat out of East Ferry, the last of the season. We saw no less than 10 Hump Backs, Seals and some Bald Eagle. Lots of great photos. Thank you for your inspiring videos.
Had some very busy time relocating and didn't have enough time for photos. Went out finally yesterday morning in my new/old place back in Poland. Literally just got out of the village into the fields and boom - group of waxings, boom bullfinch, boom big flock of yellowhammers. Made me realise how much I like this stuff. I've sat there in a little chair I carry with me and those creatures actually got used to me quickly.
Frosty morning - wild birds - me and no more humans - heaven!
I must say that probably for even longer time I've not had enough time for TH-cam. When watched your video today it felt... Weirdly good. Very good. You've got a skill to talk sir and I'm glad that I'm not so crazy busy anymore. I can have my wildlife photography time and "Simon skill share" time too.
Thnaks a million for your stunning job ✌️📷👍
I like the " bird in a box" comment as that applies to many subjects such as motor racing, aircraft, railway loco shots etc. I have often made that mistake and wished I had included something to show the area around the subject.
I've often heard the "real photographers don't crop" argument from "advanced amateurs" and even some pros. I shoot motorsports professionally and wholeheartedly agree that the best images I've produced most often include some amount of cropping. Great video!
This man is godly with the knowledge and he gives it all out for free missing zero steps in the process.. Thank you infinity times
Too kind!
Thank you for this. I know that many people say not to crop, but I agree with you that depending on the magnification you are using, you might not be able to fill the frame.
I do shoots for my restaurant clients and i always need text space so shooting with a large perspective but with 50-80mm helps a alot. This episode cleared my view about even i had any doubts. So, Bravo.
Very helpful video ❤ … there is one comment I have. The moment someone decides to take a picture is already the moment this very person is doing a crop. It does not matter whether the crop is applied „in camera“ or in post. The only difference is that in post I may have additional options assuming some care was applied with the composition out of the camera.
Cropping allows me to view the image with fresh eyes again. It can completely alter my appreciation of the picture. The same can happen when I switch to black-and-white. I've learned you should never dismiss a picture too soon. Simple edits can breathe new life into an image.
Good advice! Even (maybe I should say Especially) Ansel Adams used to crop his images. Really, I get quite annoyed at people who say that you should just take whatever comes out of your camera. The aim is to make a nice picture, not to show off how clever at operating the camera you are. Of course, really understanding how your camera works and how to use it in each situation is important, but the process of making a great picture does not end when you click the shutter.
One can be a literal photographer, or an artistic photographer.
The literal retains the scene, to the best of their memory, and reproduce the colors seen live.
The artistic will take the image and adjust it to their vision.
Both are necessary and beautiful
And it's Magic when the two come together
When I trained at Photographic College we first learnt composition in Art, then framing in Camera and finally cropping, over the years that little knowledge has helped me maximise quality in commercial work, especially Architectural work where cropping after shooting is quite rare!
Some really great tips here, a lot of things I hadn't even considered. Loved the image of the owl tilted slightly to peer around the rocks!
Glad it was helpful!
Non commercial and very informative, that is sufficiently rare to be commended ! 😎
Glad you liked it!
Thank you for the interesting video.😀
As a professional amateur sports photographer I have to crop pictures. 50% are skewed anyway.
Good photos are created by:
- Shooting at the right moment from the right angle with the right settings.
- Selecting the good photos (very important)
- Straightening and selecting the right section (2nd photograph, was already the case in the darkroom)
- Image editing if necessary
As a graphic designer, I loved this video. I've spent years cropping to get the most out of a pic, and have had enough frustrations with shots not having enough space for changing the aspect ratio and/or adding text.
Your photos are suburb BTW.
Love this: "This is a mugshot, not art." That says it all.
I am guilty of this, lol
I love how this guy likes every single comment no matter how small I applaud you even though your such a big youtuber
Welcome!
I love cropping my pics - they almost always look better to me after I have done so, and I love experimenting. I have now discovered that I much prefer a looser crop showing some environment. Real closeups of birds or animals look like they belong in an ID book! I'm not a professional though - I just share my pics on my Facebook or have them put on canvas for my own enjoyment! They work for me and that is what matters!
That is awesome!
Art is always progressing, evolving and challenging boundaries. Much of art is defiant of rules. Think of the many great artist have ignored the rules, blazing new trails. Don't let someone else's rules get in the way of how you express your art.
Just disregard anything the "purists" say--they take the spontaneity and fun out of photography.
I like cropping, especially since i sometimes want the ability to perfectly place the subject where i want it. Even if its just a little bit, it can help the image composition a lot.
As a non- 20 year-super expert photorgrapher, i really need it! 😅
100%. People have a tendency to mistake guidelines and common practices for requirements. Most techniques are taught with the goal of equipping someone with the knowledge of what general ideas and methods worked for people in the past, which allows them to achieve similar results if that is what they are aiming for. The more of these techniques that we learn, the more finely-tuned the decision-making process becomes, and the more artistic freedom to express ourselves and develop our unique style we gain. But so many people take these as prescriptive mandates, as if the prolific artists of the past were the ultimate authority on the "right way" to work. But really, best practices and methods are developed by way of analyzing how someone talented and experienced worked intuitively, and we create the theory behind it as a result of that art rather than the artist actually having those ideas in mind while they were making it in the first place.
Cropping is an art and it can make a good picture great.
@@nosac1230 cropping is not an art.
Cropping is just cropping.
Agreed. And using AI as a photography tool is the latest purist war. Do what you want. And if the photography contest rules say you can’t-why are you entering photography contests???
Simon, you did it again. Another tip that will improve my photography: when cropping, especially nature, include some features of the environment. No “bird in a box.” Brilliant! Thank you.
Remember, as long as you’re happy with the photo, it’s a good photo. Experiment, refine it, become a pro
But "pro" by definition means "other people like it." They like it so much, they're willing to pay you.
@@BackcountryBrete You wouldn't have simply added quotes in, to make it appear as if you're quoting a reliable source, would you?
That doesn't seem to be a quote taken from merriam-webster under the definition of professional. This is why I ask.
@@BackcountryBrete
"professional
1 of 2
adjective
1
a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession
b
: engaged in one of the learned professions
c(1)
: characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession
(2)
: exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace
2
a
: participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs
a professional golfer
b
: having a particular profession as a permanent career
a professional soldier
c
: engaged in by persons receiving financial return
professional football
3
: following a line of conduct as though it were a profession
a professional patriot"
professional
2 of 2
noun
: one that is professional
especially : one that engages in a pursuit or activity professionally"
- merriam-webster
Here, in this example, we can see I just corrected you, in a professional manner, as to the definition of "professional." You may not have "liked it" and no one "liked it so much, they payed me" for doing it. However, it was a correction, performed in a professional manner, nonetheless.
@BackcountryBrete no photo you take will please everyone. If it's your favourite photo you've ever taken, that's good enough - some will hate it, some will love it 📸
OMG those owls are everywhere, so adorable :)
You are by far the best instructor I’ve come across in years. Thanks for all your videos
Wow, thanks!
Dang, I struggle to find even one good crop composition and he's just throwing around one, two, three, FOUR, just at a whim! I wish I had that gift
Took me a while to be honest. It's a learnable skill.
I'm an amateur photographer and I've just recently come to the realisation that cropping was a possibility. The timing of this video was perfect for me and the insights are much appreciated.
It is, it's not a great practice, but there are times when it's appropriate. The issue I take with it is that camera manufacturers don't include decent tools for storing information about crops when converting raw files. Which means that if you want to reconvert the file, you have to re-crop it and if you've got a ton of images to process, that can be super annoying.
Good thought provoking video. One of the first 'cropping' I do is to rotate the image a bit to get perfect horizontals and/or verticals, if necesssary. This of course only applies to certain type of images e.g. land/sea scapes and architecture.
Easily one of the best professional education/tutorial videos I've ever seen. 11:19 packed with clearly articulated, well illustrated explanations of concepts.
Just wanted to express my appreciation for the incredible work you do on your photography channel. Your videos have been an invaluable resource on my journey to becoming a better photographer. I love how your content is always direct and filled with practical tips, cutting out unnecessary filler material. Even though I still have a long way to go, your guidance has made a significant impact on my skills. Thank you
Glad you like them!
Agree 100%
That’s the words I was looking for ! He has a great to the point channel
So much common sense in just one single lesson, impressive. Thank you for an honest and sensible view on cropping. Ed
Glad it was helpful!
10:28 "This is a mugshot, not a piece of art" , best analogy I've heard in a while,love it
It made me laugh. good one🤣
I am stealing this line from now on😂
“Bird in a Box” is good. You see a lot of that very well done with great resolution but simply not interesting beyond that IMHO.
Also real talk, in a professional setting where everything is controlled, even then cropping is needed. I’m a product and still life photographer who’s been working as staff for the last decade and more often then not we have to shoot with equipment that isn’t “long enough” or “fast enough” so we just have to crop or compensate in one way or another. The trick with being a pro is knowing when to throw the “rules” away to accomplish the vision
I must admit that I do crop a lot. While I understand that sneaker-zooming all photos for composition can be a great exercise, I accept that in shooting nature, it's often not possible or practical. One thing I keep in mind when cropping animals is that pictures nearly always look better when the subject has room to move in the direction they're looking, so even when I crop, I leave plenty of space for context and movement; an image of an animal with its nose on the edge of the frame will rarely look good. All that said, I have little fear, as I printed cropped photos taken with a Canon 50D (15MP) as big as 15x19 that came out great.
Sometimes I won't crop, I will cut in Photoshop and use tools to recreate That section more to my liking.
I had just started doing sports photography recently and heard the "cropping is a bad habit" advice which only frustrated me when I struggled to get the subject where I wanted it in frame. So I texted a family friend that's done professional photography including sports since before I was born and she replied "Leave yourself some wiggle room in frame and crop in light room"
It’s all up to the photographer and the situation.
“Bird in the box”, loved that part. Thanks once again for the thorough walkthrough!
My pleasure!
My favorite photo-teacher, in my favorite classes, with the most favorite tips and teachings...🤓 Regards!
RC Concepcion once said on Scott Kelby's show "Do what serves the image."
Such a simple way to put it, and it changed how I approached editing completely. Unless shooting for spec it doesn't matter what I do to get the image I want. Crop, punch up the contrast, etc.
I am brand new to photography and I have watched almost every single one of your videos in the last month. You are an incredible teacher and make photography easy to learn even if you know absolutely nothing (like me). Just wanted to thank you for your hard work on this channel, I wouldn't have a fraction of the knowledge I now have about photography if not for you! And best of all you make your videos short, concise, and fun! Thank you
Welcome aboard!
It's crazy that anyone thinks you're required to get the precise composition in camera. Sure, it's good to get as close as possible, but like most things in photography, this shouldn't be a hard and fast rule. I've learned that I love the 16:9 ratio and often compose photos in camera to later crop to that ratio. It's especially useful with wide angle lenses that get a bit too much sky in the frame.
I really appreciate these sensible videos that are actually helpful for all photographers. Keep it up!
I think the whole “don’t crop” purists are hypocritical. Do they not post-process any of their images in Photoshop? What, they couldn’t get the exposure, contrast, saturation, etc. dead right when they released the shutter? ‘Nuff said. Cropping is just another useful post-processing tool. Use whatever tools are available to make the image that pleases you. And as you mention, cropping - like any other tool - can be over-used. So do so judiciously 👍
I’ve been watching your videos for some months now, as fairly new to photography. I subscribe to several TH-camrs, but you are by the far the one from which I get most value - keep it coming please!
Simon, Your cropping video has so many good points. Especially leaving more room to have crop choices in post processing. I have learned many great points, over this past year, from your TH-cam channel videos and your course on the Journal of Wildlife Photography! Keep up the great work!
Thanks so much for all!
I find that trying to crop to get the best of a photo is a great way to discover that that photo you really kind of like is not really very good to begin with. Which is a learning thing.As for cropping in general , it is only the final image that matters.
I've been an output professional for well over 30 years so I approach cropping from a manufacturing standpoint. If you want your image to look like you want it always provide enough image in the frame for a physical crop during the manufacturing process.
Cropping can be essential to produce the best possible image. Seldom are images perfectly framed in-camera, especially when shooting wildlife or sports where the subjects are uncontrollable and/or moving. It's a skill I've learned to use well as a working journalist, especially to ensure the image works as well as possible in the layout.
Hi Simon. I remember asking you in a comment on another video, some time ago, to talk about aspect ratios. I'm so glad you took notice of the suggestion and included this in the video. It's awesome to know that, even with so many subscribers, you still listen and interact with the community in such an positive and active way!.Much appreciated!
I do and you’re welcome!
Pros are framing and cropping all day every day and it’s this wealth of experience that enables good decisions.
I discovered the aspect ratio bit back in the 70’s when I was learning photography, and (b&w) darkroom techniques. My 35mm camera provided a 3:2 aspect ratio. But if I wanted to make a 5x7 or 8x10, then my photo would be, well, cropped. I realized 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 etc are arbitrary (though accepted) standards.
Simon, watching your videos is a journey in itself, its crazy.
Thank you so much for all this information. I don't fully understand cropping and the theory behind doing it, but I'm sure ill get there!
I've never had a problem with cropping. I'm not a pro, it's all just for me, so I don't care what anybody thinks about cropping. My first digital camera was a 1-megapixel Kodak. No one in my circle had even heard of a digital camera yet (1996?). With all of the megapixels in cameras today, there's plenty of room to crop and still get a great-quality photo. I've been shooting since 1978. I got all the technical stuff down, but I never have developed that oh-so-important artistic 'eye'. Your photos are truly awesome!
I had an old digital Sony camera that took floppy disks! Nothing quite like loading a huge floppy into the a: drive on a camera. I think each disk held like 15 images of 1.5 megapixel photos lol
My favorite use of cropping is to imitate the Hasselblad Xpan aspect ratio. It's also super helpful for re-framing street photos that I might not have been happy with in the full aspect.
Larger prints are often seen from a distance so it doesn't need fine small pixels, 6 mpx is good for a house wall, high megapixel is great for editing and coping, according to me... But am I right? Do you have any episodes about megapixel, I still love my old 6 mpx camera.
Came here to see if anyone else had said this, you're 100% right. Those ads a few years back with "shot on an iPhone" and an image on a billboard really annoyed me, because I knew most people wouldn't understand that when you're viewing something from so far back, something that size is probably like 2MP.
Sure do! th-cam.com/video/ThpQWhOfKO4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ntdyxDvUCno__PKn
I like cropping to get a more creative shot or a lot of times getting rid of things that are distracting along the outside edges of my photo. I'm always trying to get a perfect crop in the field but it's rare that I get it perfect. That's why I love having the option to crop.
I started with Photography back in the film days. We were taught to shoot wide and crop in the dark room. The reason for this was if you filled your space you missed so much that could be possible compositional Elements. Thank you for this video. It is much needed.
I have heard this often while shooting film as well. You can always shrink the frame, but you can't expand it. This, despite film clearly showing far more grain any time you crop. The overall image always take precedence over things like image quality. Afterall, the first thing anyone sees is the image itself. They can quibble over it's fine details and technical aspects later.
Hey Simon, the algorithm popped you up on my TH-cam and I'm glad it did. Really great video. About ten years ago I got into DSLR photography, but lately it has slipped to using my Google Pixel phone. But everything you discussed still works for me. I look forward to seeing more of your stuff.
(Also great to see an old Barrax alumni after many years...)
Hey, cool!
I enjoy cropping my photos depending on what the subject is doing. Plus you always encourage us to be creative and take a chance when it comes to photography. 😊
Yes! Thank you!
I am a newbie, just dabbling in it, however cropping is my absolute go to. It can transform a good pic into a great one. It seems to me so far this is the power of photography for me; singling out a specific detail and eliminating the extra information. It seems sorta wrong, but it is informative to what I subsequently take a photo of and how I frame it. Maybe in time I will learn to get the frame and composition “great”, but cropping is what is showing me the way at the moment.
One of the best photo learning channels out there, look forward to seeing your content every time you post. Great work Simon!👏
Wow, thanks!
Nothing wrong with cropping. Great advice. Appropriate lens or zoom lens helps a lot to frame it well, less cropping.
I don't own a appropriate lens or lenses for what I shoot, so this means award positions, standing far away, and when suitable using a tripod, and cropping.
But once I get new appropriate lens I will crop less. Full frame gives a lot of room to crop change framing. Currently only own a 85mm 1.8 lens,
Surely filling the frame is simply cropping pre production.
Great video! To be honest, I crop a lot and I always did. I absolutely love the opportunity to give a photo so many directions in the editing process and since I do 99% animals/pets I'm much more engaged with finding an authentic expression of my models than with positioning them, getting the frame right and then hoping to get a good look from the already annoyed horse or dog. I crop so much that I'll probably buy myself a camera with more pixels this year.😃
Just here to say that Simon is the BEST photography coach on TH-cam!
Too kind!
I have to definitely agree there.
I often shoot at airshows where the action is not only fast but also three dimensional. In those shoots I use center focus with the intention of cropping because trying to get the perfect composition of a subject moving at as much as almost mach 1 is slightly less than impossible. I also shoot a lot of garden macros and shooting to crop makes it much easier to deal with the myriad random intrusions. when shooting portraits or staged images I shoot to fill the frame. IMHO, the correct answer to "crop or don't crop?" is, "It depends."
Great advice Simon I agree with everything you say here. I believe that unless your entering shots for competition or stock the world is your oyster. Do what you like. Photography is an art after-all. You don't have rules in every facet of your life. I love my togging as I'm sure purists do too, but their rules mean nothing to me. I also have another reason that you may agree with as a reason to crop is if your lens is not sharp edge to edge. Most imperfections that cause CA show at the edge of the frame. In that case it could be advantageous to shoot your subject in the middle and "frame for composition" in software afterwards.... Love the channel fella.
My dad was an amateur photographer back in the days when everything was analog. He would take _forever_ setting up his shots, which were mostly of mushrooms, stumps, and flowers. Digital editing wasn't a thing then and he didn't have his own dark room so he had to make sure he got it right in the moment. Some of his photos are stunning and we (family) all have prints of his work on our walls. We tried to convince him to publish a book of his best photos but he wasn't interested. It was just a private passion for him. But he fell out of love with photography as digital cameras took over. I think he felt it trivialized the effort and artistry he put into his photos. When I compare how he worked back then to how I now snap pics willy nilly with my phone, I can see why he felt that.
So glad you mentioned about images for magazines. As a magazine designer, it’s really frustrating getting images that have been cropped or shot too tightly to fit the page or the magazine’s layout grid. Like you said, always leave space around the main subject if you want it to go in a magazine, even if it’s just to allow for the bleed on a full page or a double spread. It’s easier to crop the image, than add to it. Or sometimes, as you experienced, it will just not get used. And always ask the art department for any specific specifications and send the image full resolution and cropped. You can suggest a particular crop you would like, but if it doesn’t fit the magazine’s format, you have to be a little flexible if you want it published. It’s called being a professional.
Thanks for the first hand feedback!
I always crop my photos to share with friends and family on mobile. Getting a photo to fit well onto a phone screen makes it very impactful, unlike the originals which are 90% landscape mode and get shrunk when viewing on mobile.
Crop like a farmer!
Eastern NS, hey paisano! 😛 I'm half Acadian Franco-American, my mom was from Madawaska, Maine. 😊 Good advice here. I just take photos mostly for my own enjoyment, and mostly wildlife, so I do a lot of cropping.
Probably the same "purists" that think Ansel Adams didn't do any post-processing...🙄
Your videos are getting better and better. All very clear explained and also in this video I recognized again some basic mistakes I make. Thank you for providing so many useful resources
So nice of you
These days I care less about cropped photos and more about AI manipulated photos, claiming to be real. Talk about a complete lack of any moral compass.
If you’re using ai on nature/wildlife photos and saying it’s real that’s pretty messed up.
I use AI all the time for product photos and social media stuff though. I love the “generative fill” feature in photoshop for fixing up any missing areas or covering up weird looking objects
A whole lot of very useful advice here Simon! I shot film from the 1960 until 1999, in those days and shooting slide film, cropping was not so easy. It took me years to start cropping or shooting a bit wide to crop later.
Hey Simon, i started photography a couple months ago and your channel has helped me loads. Your videos are super professional, very well explained and informative, and your backlighting is just peachy. Keep up the great work, you're an inspiration sir.
Thanks very much!
I mostly do model-focused photography. There are so many times I'll find myself jumping back and forth from landscape to portrait while taking the picture. When that happens, it's typically because the picture wants to be square. I've learned to just go with landscape and realize I'll crop later, anyways. No one ever talks about square pictures, but it's actually best for Instagram, anyway, if someone is looking at your page.
Hi Simon, I do Crop when nessesary but when I'm shooting with my Smartphone I try to avoid it. Love the Bird in the Box Mug Shot example 👏. This video was very useful to me because I didn't realise the different Focal Lengths effect the end result in Cropping. Thanks Simon I learned something I didn't know before. 😊
Thanks Simon ☺️
As an avid photographer of aerial displays, I choose shorter zoom lens rather than the super telephotos my friends use. There is less chance for me to accidently cut off parts of the aircraft. And with aircraft equip with smoke generator, shooting wider allows me to select the best framing to show off the colourful smoke trail.
Amazing video as always Simon.
You’ve mentioned entering photography competitions.
I think it will be great if you make an entire video on that topic, where to find photography competitions and how to enter them and some tips on winning them.
What do you think?
Noted!
Hi Simon, thank you very much for the great new video - I really appreciate the fact that you are clearing up outdated "rules" in photography and destroying myths. I agree with Freemann Patterson: "There is only one rule in photography! Never develop color film in chicken noodle soup!"
Fantastic!
In a photography class we once discussed "making" a photo vs. "taking" a photo. It took a bit to let go of getting the "perfect shot" but as a result I'm a much more creative/artistic photographer!
Thank you, your video, it inspires me, helps rationalize not guess, especially proportions, where to apply accorting to my audience.
Strength and limits. And not to overdo it....
Wonderful!
Karl Malone
can't thank this man enough, every bit of information from him is golden.