The importance of cropping wisely

[bago100]

Hi All
Here is the photo that was entered



After playing around with cropping this is what a good crop will do



and here is another that almost made it



Reading the threads, there were a lot of people that angonised over what photo to enter. Gosh it is difficult!

But hey, isn't the D70 the best camera or what?

Graham

[Onyx]

Question Graham - did you use an IR filter or were these images taken in colour and merely converted to B&W? The lighting and contrast is somewhat unexpected.

I do like that tigher crop, even if it meant cropping away the tail which I've heard shouldn't be done... I don't think it's chopped off the subject at all.

However personally I'm an advocate of MattK's compositional philosophy (neat & in the middle), but that may be due to an overreaction towards my annoyance of the tons of images I come across that strictly follow the rule of thirds.

[bago100]

Thanks Onyx

Just the kit lens and a little photoshop elements.

Possums don't generally pose for very long so I did not have much time to take the shot but having said that, the photo was taken while standing under a white awning so some ambient flash may have lit the scene a little better.

Thanks for your comments. I'm learning heaps thanks to your willingness to share your knowledge with us!

Cheers

Graham

[gstark]

I'm wondering how a crop of the second image - just the possum inside the possum house - would have fared within the rules of the challenge?

[Raydar]

I'm wondering how a crop of the second image - just the possum inside the possum house - would have fared within the rules of the challenge?

Good Q mate

I was thinking the same thing

Cheers
Ray

[bago100]

Um - the second image is a crop of the first image

The third image shows two wild possums - on in it and one on it.

AS I understand it, these are the rules:

Unless allowed as part of the specific challenge images may not be edited. Post processing is allowed. Allowed actions include: Levels, unsharp mask, cropping, framing, resizing (to the entry size), white ballance, RAW channel mixing (for RAW to Jpeg conversion), cloning for the purposes of removing dust spots or hotpixels, hue sat adjustments including conversion to black and white.

Please tell me Raydar and Gary what do you mean about 'the crop of the second image' faring within the rules?

If I have broken the rules in some way, I'll ask MHD to disqualify my entry and will publically apologise.

Graham

[gstark]

Sorry, Graham; I meant the third image.

This is one crop I had in mind ...



And this is another ...




My "concern" relates to the "nature" part and how that relates to the possum house, that's all.

I certainly wasn't suggesting that there were any issues relating to your entry, and I certainly didn't want to give anyone the impression that there may have been; I apologise if that has has happenned.

[bago100]

Aha - the third image - now that's different and a huge relief!

The third image was not entered for the same reason actually, although it is probably no different to someone taking a shot at a zoo, I suppose.

The actual possum entered in the comp is neither of the possums on and in the possum house. It's another one.

Here is a close crop of the original. Not very sharp or quite in focus.



Imagine what a 200VR lens would have taken here!

or even a 70 - 300 lens or even a 200 - 400VR or even .....

One day maybe! PS. Looks like a mosquito near the possums ear? What do you think?

The mosquito would have qualified!!



Cheers

Graham

[gstark]

Aha - the third image - now that's different and a huge relief!

I'm sorry for the confusion.


[quoteLooks like a mosquito near the possums ear? What do you think?[/quote]

Or a spider perhaps?

Cool!

[bago100]

Don't worry about the confusion Gary - all cleared up now

Blew the insect pic up to 300% - it really looks like a wild mosquito in full flight.

[Raydar]

Yep that’s it!!!!

The little bloke looking out the box is a winner & the mozy is an added bonus

Cheers
Ray