What a Difference a Crop Makes

Apr 25, 2011

We watched to the ANZAC day parade today and for the first time in a while I actually got my camera out. I’ll admit to having become a little intimidated recently, and today was a good fix. What I currently lack in ability to compose a photo with a camera, I make up for with the crop. Here are a few shots.

Melbourne High School Band: The original photo shows a crowd, and buildings which detract from the band.

Bagpiper crossing: This photo was originally meant to focus on the crowd in the distance, preparing for their advance to join the other marching bands, but a cyclist and a bagpiper got in the frame. I removed the cyclist and played with the amount of space above and below the bagpiper to make him the focus.

Drummer: This was actually a pretty random shot - I was watching the drummer twirling the sticks which are attached by a short rope. My original crop was a bit wider to include the drummer to her left, and Jo suggested getting close in on her.

Bagpipers: This was the clearest shot I could get, but there was a child in the lower left of the frame. A letterbox crop and not only does this focus all attention on the performers, but also gives it a panoramic and professional feel.

Bagpipers: The original had the crowd, people pointing, distracting scenes, half the bagpipers cramped together. It was unbalanced. I cropped in on a smaller group of just drummers, and obtained what isn't necessarily a great photo, but certainly shows what can be achieved from a really crap photo.

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