Nature Good crop, bad crop?

**c.a.m** · 03-26-2017, 04:43 PM - **1 Like**

I was shooting with the DA* 300. I didn't have time to move back to capture the entire deer in the FOV, so the legs were not included in the shot.

Is this 'crop' acceptable? Is the image strong enough to allow the missing feet to be ignored?

Thanks in advance for all comments.

- Craig

**romark** · 03-26-2017, 07:05 PM

Try cropping horizontally ending just at the end of the tail. Somehow the image seems more "finished" by losing the leg structure. Excellent capture.

Bob

**Bruce Clark** · 03-26-2017, 07:33 PM

I agree with Romark. Far better to make it a deliberate crop rather than what could be construed as an oversight. Be careful of bits of stick protruding into the frame from below and maybe the right hand edge could be trimmed also.

A very nice image by the way the focus on the deer is superb.

**paulh** · 03-26-2017, 08:54 PM - **1 Like**

I'm hardly an expert, but I think your image is very nice as is. The snow-covered sticks at the bottom and sides give the image a sense of place. That said, it can't hurt to experiment with a crop as the others have suggested.

**dms** · 03-26-2017, 09:23 PM

IMO the crop would be best at the front right leg joint (roughly a third of the distance between bottom of tail and current bottom of photo). That tends to make a more "stable" base and still show legs. And yes I think it works as a complete picture.

SpecialK · 03-26-2017, 10:49 PM - **1 Like**

Well, it cries for portrait orientation, but it is nice as is.

Gray · 03-27-2017, 05:02 AM - **1 Like**

Sometimes, the power of an image is not what's there, but what's NOT there. Imagination plays a big role in interpretation IMO. It's not necessary to show everything -- our minds can fill in what's missing, just like we fill in the tops of the trees and overcast, snowy sky without them being shown explicitly. The crop works because the composition works -- and we don't need to see the feet at all because we imagine the deer is standing is snow and not on something else.

I think it's a very nicely composed image, crop and all.

**c.a.m** · 03-27-2017, 05:03 PM

Thank you all for your suggestions, guidance, and kind comments. You have given me some ideas to play with.

I wonder if the deer would be game for a re-take... maybe not.

- Craig

jab2980 · 03-28-2017, 12:40 PM

It appears to follow the "rules" - as it is not on any of the joints, unlike If you move it to just below the tail. I'd like to see a tiny bit more space above the head if there is any in the original.

RoxnDox · 03-28-2017, 03:45 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by c.a.m

I was shooting with the DA* 300. I didn't have time to move back to capture the entire deer in the FOV, so the legs were not included in the shot.

Is this 'crop' acceptable? Is the image strong enough to allow the missing feet to be ignored?

Thanks in advance for all comments.

- Craig

I like it 'as is'. The background tree trunks give you a pair of vertical brackets, the snowy twigs at the bottom give a sense of the ground she's standing on. Play with the crop suggestions and see what you think, but there's nothing wrong with your image right the way it is. In my opinion, of course

**henrikpedersen33** · 06-28-2018, 01:14 PM

Originally posted by c.a.m

I was shooting with the DA* 300. I didn't have time to move back to capture the entire deer in the FOV, so the legs were not included in the shot.

Is this 'crop' acceptable? Is the image strong enough to allow the missing feet to be ignored?

Thanks in advance for all comments.

- Craig

I think you got a very nice picture. You took the chance.
You keep the rule of thirds - the deer is looking into, and not out of the picture and the subject stands out in colour with the background in a kind of B&W.
Very nice indeed ;-)

**c.a.m** · 06-28-2018, 01:34 PM - **1 Like**

@henrikpedersen33, Thank you for your generous comment! I did not have much time to take this shot, and in a moment the deer wandered away.

This winter image is great to see today -- we are heading into a week of very hot and humid weather here. The forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-30s with 'humidex' (which applies the effect of high humidity) in the mid-40s. Yikes.

-Craig

**henrikpedersen33** · 06-28-2018, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by c.a.m

@henrikpedersen33, Thank you for your generous comment! I did not have much time to take this shot, and in a moment the deer wandered away.

This winter image is great to see today -- we are heading into a week of very hot and humid weather here. The forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-30s with 'humidex' (which applies the effect of high humidity) in the mid-40s. Yikes.

-Craig

My pleasure - (and I mean it!)
Here in Denmark the next week too calls for degrees up to 30. That is not my cup of tea!

torashi · 06-28-2018, 02:04 PM

Leave it as it is! It's a great capture. It's all about the bum and expression! Cropping out the branches would make it lose its sense of place. It would look just like a deer placed over a b&w background.

Gesendet von meinem Mi A1 mit Tapatalk

mhrish · 07-02-2018, 04:28 PM

I think it is a great shot, and cutting off the dear's legs does not detract at all. I was wondering though, if the background was desaturated in post, or was it that monotone. I did not see this mentioned.

03-26-2017, 04:43 PM - 1 Like	#1
c.a.m Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,193	Good crop, bad crop? Lens: DA* 300/4 Camera: K-3 II Photo Location: Ottawa, Canada Shutter Speed: 1/640s Aperture: F4.5 I was shooting with the DA* 300. I didn't have time to move back to capture the entire deer in the FOV, so the legs were not included in the shot. Is this 'crop' acceptable? Is the image strong enough to allow the missing feet to be ignored? Thanks in advance for all comments. - Craig

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03-26-2017, 07:05 PM	#2
romark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 8	Try cropping horizontally ending just at the end of the tail. Somehow the image seems more "finished" by losing the leg structure. Excellent capture. Bob

03-26-2017, 07:33 PM	#3
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458	I agree with Romark. Far better to make it a deliberate crop rather than what could be construed as an oversight. Be careful of bits of stick protruding into the frame from below and maybe the right hand edge could be trimmed also. A very nice image by the way the focus on the deer is superb.

03-26-2017, 08:54 PM - 1 Like	#4
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,306	I'm hardly an expert, but I think your image is very nice as is. The snow-covered sticks at the bottom and sides give the image a sense of place. That said, it can't hurt to experiment with a crop as the others have suggested.

03-26-2017, 09:23 PM	#5
dms Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,192	IMO the crop would be best at the front right leg joint (roughly a third of the distance between bottom of tail and current bottom of photo). That tends to make a more "stable" base and still show legs. And yes I think it works as a complete picture.

03-26-2017, 10:49 PM - 1 Like	#6
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	Well, it cries for portrait orientation, but it is nice as is.

03-27-2017, 05:02 AM - 1 Like	#7
Gray Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Cape Town Photos: Gallery Posts: 536	Sometimes, the power of an image is not what's there, but what's NOT there. Imagination plays a big role in interpretation IMO. It's not necessary to show everything -- our minds can fill in what's missing, just like we fill in the tops of the trees and overcast, snowy sky without them being shown explicitly. The crop works because the composition works -- and we don't need to see the feet at all because we imagine the deer is standing is snow and not on something else. I think it's a very nicely composed image, crop and all.

03-27-2017, 05:03 PM	#8
c.a.m Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,193 Original Poster	Thank you all for your suggestions, guidance, and kind comments. You have given me some ideas to play with. I wonder if the deer would be game for a re-take... maybe not. - Craig

03-28-2017, 12:40 PM	#9
jab2980 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Photos: Albums Posts: 578	It appears to follow the "rules" - as it is not on any of the joints, unlike If you move it to just below the tail. I'd like to see a tiny bit more space above the head if there is any in the original.

03-28-2017, 03:45 PM - 1 Like	#10
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494	Originally posted by c.a.m I was shooting with the DA* 300. I didn't have time to move back to capture the entire deer in the FOV, so the legs were not included in the shot. Is this 'crop' acceptable? Is the image strong enough to allow the missing feet to be ignored? Thanks in advance for all comments. - Craig I like it 'as is'. The background tree trunks give you a pair of vertical brackets, the snowy twigs at the bottom give a sense of the ground she's standing on. Play with the crop suggestions and see what you think, but there's nothing wrong with your image right the way it is. In my opinion, of course

06-28-2018, 01:14 PM	#11
henrikpedersen33 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Roskilde, Denmark Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,632	Originally posted by c.a.m I was shooting with the DA* 300. I didn't have time to move back to capture the entire deer in the FOV, so the legs were not included in the shot. Is this 'crop' acceptable? Is the image strong enough to allow the missing feet to be ignored? Thanks in advance for all comments. - Craig I think you got a very nice picture. You took the chance. You keep the rule of thirds - the deer is looking into, and not out of the picture and the subject stands out in colour with the background in a kind of B&W. Very nice indeed ;-)

06-28-2018, 01:34 PM - 1 Like	#12
c.a.m Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,193 Original Poster	@henrikpedersen33, Thank you for your generous comment! I did not have much time to take this shot, and in a moment the deer wandered away. This winter image is great to see today -- we are heading into a week of very hot and humid weather here. The forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-30s with 'humidex' (which applies the effect of high humidity) in the mid-40s. Yikes. -Craig

06-28-2018, 01:41 PM	#13
henrikpedersen33 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Roskilde, Denmark Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,632	Originally posted by c.a.m @henrikpedersen33, Thank you for your generous comment! I did not have much time to take this shot, and in a moment the deer wandered away. This winter image is great to see today -- we are heading into a week of very hot and humid weather here. The forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-30s with 'humidex' (which applies the effect of high humidity) in the mid-40s. Yikes. -Craig My pleasure - (and I mean it!) Here in Denmark the next week too calls for degrees up to 30. That is not my cup of tea!

06-28-2018, 02:04 PM	#14
torashi Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Medellín Posts: 1,322	Leave it as it is! It's a great capture. It's all about the bum and expression! Cropping out the branches would make it lose its sense of place. It would look just like a deer placed over a b&w background. Gesendet von meinem Mi A1 mit Tapatalk

07-02-2018, 04:28 PM	#15
mhrish Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Tupelo, MS Posts: 84	I think it is a great shot, and cutting off the dear's legs does not detract at all. I was wondering though, if the background was desaturated in post, or was it that monotone. I did not see this mentioned.