Question on Bad Cropping

[gakei]

Both photos are rejected for Bad Cropping, but I have no idea how it can become Good Cropping. Can anyone advise?

Thanks.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=238269174

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=619616775

[BE Tower 1999]

The photos are too "square", crop to more of a 3:2 ratio.

[gakei]

Thanks. Then what is the lowest limit of the "width to height" ratio for a "landscape" photo?

[JRMDC]

Originally Posted by BE Tower 1999

The photos are too "square", crop to more of a 3:2 ratio.

Let's keep in mind that RP has lots of 4:3 images accepted, so 4:3 is not too square.

I wonder if a blend between the two is appropriate. You were right to crop off the white sign on the left (better if you could have instead included the entire sign), but you cropped too tight to the bottom, I think.

In general, RP is not a fan of tight crops and anything you can do with the original to have more space around the tram is good. Also, if you are going to cut off the left a bit, then you are going to shift the balance. But if you crop on the right also then you end up with a very tight crop. What you do here really depends on what is included in the original shot.

[JRMDC]

Originally Posted by gakei

Thanks. Then what is the lowest limit of the "width to height" ratio for a "landscape" photo?

In my experience anything between 3:2 and 5:4 generally works for RP (if the subject matter is appropriate for those dimensions, of course).

[BE Tower 1999]

The common size most photographers upload at is 1024X683 pixels. There are minimums, for a landscape shot, minimum height is 600 pixels and for a portrait, minimum height is 800 pixels.

I also wouldn't put the subject in the middle of the frame, as you did. It is more pleasing to the eye to place your subject at or close to one of the intersecting points in "the rule of thirds".

[BE Tower 1999]

Originally Posted by JRMDC

Let's keep in mind that RP has lots of 4:3 images accepted, so 4:3 is not too square.

I wonder if a blend between the two is appropriate. You were right to crop off the white sign on the left (better if you could have instead included the entire sign), but you cropped too tight to the bottom, I think.

In general, RP is not a fan of tight crops and anything you can do with the original to have more space around the tram is good. Also, if you are going to cut off the left a bit, then you are going to shift the balance. But if you crop on the right also then you end up with a very tight crop. What you do here really depends on what is included in the original shot.

Fair enough J, I just glanced at the rejections earlier and the squarness jumped out at me. After looking at them again it does look like they are 4:3 vertically but, for some reason it is not pleasing to my eye.

As stated earlier, loosen up the composition, it looks like there is a building and some kind of overpass in the background that can be worked into the photo.

[JRMDC]

Originally Posted by BE Tower 1999

Fair enough J, I just glanced at the rejections earlier and the squarness jumped out at me. After looking at them again it does look like they are 4:3 vertically but, for some reason it is not pleasing to my eye.

I know what you mean. I think it is just overall too tight, and the squarish tram results in a squarish-looking shot, regardless of the actual dimensions.

[gakei]

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=921701071

Rejected for bad cropping again. Really has no idea what is the good cropping that the screener is looking for. No matter making it more tight or less tight in terms of cropping it is not got accepted. Just thinking it is simply wasting time of the screener and myself if the rejection reason does not add value to the process.

Or else anyone has an idea to crop this photo in order to fulfil screener's requirement? Here is the photo of the original frame.



Many thanks.

[gakei]

One more submission and rejection:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...key=1143218670

I have made an appeal as follow:

"You may be aware that I have tried many times cropping this photo but is still got rejected. While I am sorry for wasting your time but it reflects a problem that the rejection reason is nothing add value to give us a hint to improve. I sincerely invite you to visit the following forum topic which has the photo of the original frame, and let us know what is the correct cropping of this photo according to your standard. This will very much help us as a photographer to save time against repeatedly doing wrong cropping and keeping on being rejected. By rejected due to "crop" I supposed the photo can be saved through a correct crop. Otherwise if the photo must be rejected no matter how it is cropped, you should reject it by other reasons to avoid misleading. Thanks. http://forums.railpictures.net/forumdisplay.php?f=15"

Though I understand the chance of a successful appeal is remote, still hope the screener will give us some hints here.

[TheRoadForeman]

Originally Posted by gakei

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=921701071

Rejected for bad cropping again. Really has no idea what is the good cropping that the screener is looking for. No matter making it more tight or less tight in terms of cropping it is not got accepted. Just thinking it is simply wasting time of the screener and myself if the rejection reason does not add value to the process.

Or else anyone has an idea to crop this photo in order to fulfil screener's requirement? Here is the photo of the original frame.



Many thanks.

Could I ask what camera you are using?

[gakei]

Originally Posted by TheRoadForeman

Could I ask what camera you are using?

Canon S3 (IS)

[JRMDC]

You have a lot of space to work with. That means you can get the tram off center, which is a good thing. Get some space in front of it, so that it is moving into the frame, so to speak, as opposed to being centered in it. That also puts the nose of the tram into a horizontal rule of thirds position. At the same time, you can retain both signs to the left, which provide visual interest.

I can't decide on the right amount of vertical - keep all the road you can but how much above, I am not sure. Here is one take on it.

[gakei]

Originally Posted by JRMDC

You have a lot of space to work with. That means you can get the tram off center, which is a good thing. Get some space in front of it, so that it is moving into the frame, so to speak, as opposed to being centered in it. That also puts the nose of the tram into a horizontal rule of thirds position. At the same time, you can retain both signs to the left, which provide visual interest.

I can't decide on the right amount of vertical - keep all the road you can but how much above, I am not sure. Here is one take on it.

Many thanks. I take your advice and re-submitted the photo.

I also like sometimes moving the subject out of the center, but I submit more photos in a famous aircraft photo website which has strict standard of "centerring" the subject of a photo and has a "Bad Centre" rejection reason. As such I have been highly influenced by it.

See what will happen for this new submission then =)

[TheRoadForeman]

Originally Posted by gakei

Canon S3 (IS)

Okay, with the more square looking image, I was curious if it was Medium Format.

P.S. I see it got in! Atta boy!

[gakei]

Thanks helps from JRMDC and others!! =)

[JRMDC]

Congrats! I am bummed that I forgot to mention the 0.5 degree of CW rotation it needed, but it got in anyway.

PhotoID: 279611 Photograph © Joseph K.K. Lee

Have you run into Gordon Graham over there? He is a regular poster to RP and was a regular in this forum at one time also.

[gakei]

Originally Posted by JRMDC

Congrats! I am bummed that I forgot to mention the 0.5 degree of CW rotation it needed, but it got in anyway.



Have you run into Gordon Graham over there? He is a regular poster to RP and was a regular in this forum at one time also.

If looking into the two road signs on the left and two posts at the back, the horizontal level should be fine ... The tram does not stand vertical because the track is a bit tilt to the right as turning right.

Probably if the two road signs do not exist on the left, the photo may not be cropped like this in order to be accepted?

I do not know Gordon Graham personally but I know he is the one posting most of the HK rail photos here.

Thanks again for your help =)

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by TheRoadForeman

Could I ask what camera you are using?

I was wondering, too. Something about this image looks very odd. The lighting on the tram just doesn't look consistent with the lighting in the background. It almost looks like the tram is photoshopped into the image. I'm NOT implying that it is, I'm just saying it looks like it. Maybe it's just the coloring on the tram...it just POPS out of the scene.

Call me weird, but I kind of like the square cropping of his original shot. I think it emphasizes the shape of the tram. A rectangular crop wouldn't have as much of an effect in that regard.

[gakei]

Originally Posted by JimThias

I was wondering, too. Something about this image looks very odd. The lighting on the tram just doesn't look consistent with the lighting in the background. It almost looks like the tram is photoshopped into the image. I'm NOT implying that it is, I'm just saying it looks like it. Maybe it's just the coloring on the tram...it just POPS out of the scene.

Call me weird, but I kind of like the square cropping of his original shot. I think it emphasizes the shape of the tram. A rectangular crop wouldn't have as much of an effect in that regard.

The photo in article #9 does not receive any "photoshop".

Maybe it is because it was partly cloudly so not all the objects in the photo received the same level of sunlight.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by gakei

The photo in article #9 does not receive any "photoshop".

Oh, I didn't think it did. I was just saying that because of the color and lighting, the tram pops out of the image in an odd way. Good job getting it accepted.

[milwman]

Originally Posted by JimThias

I was wondering, too. Something about this image looks very odd. .it just POPS out of the scene.

Call me weird, but I kind of like the square cropping of his original shot.

Looks like the sharping to me and I like square to, I shot a Rolle TLR for years 6X6 cm