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#38 Cropping - the most powerful photo composition tool
Cropping is one of the most powerful techniques you can use to create compositional opportunities. The crop tool also serves a practical purpose, as it allows you to zoom into a photo and change the aspect ratio to accommodate different printing or posting options. Most importantly, cropping helps to recompose a photo to communicate our intention, story and creativity better.
✔︎ Aspects - Aspect ratios
Cropping to different aspects, or aspect ratios, allows you to optimize photos for different outputs. For example, 16:9 is perfect for display on a TV. I crop to this horizontal landscape to display most of my photos on the TV.
Conversely, cropping photos to a square aspect, 1:1, makes them the perfect size to post on your Instagram feed. Depending on how you display your photos and whether you intend to print them, you can adjust your frame dimension to match photo frames, digital displays, and more.
✔︎ Remove distractions
You can remove distracting subjects and speckles of bright light from the edges by cropping your photos a little tighter (closer).
✔︎ Isolating the subject
Cut out sections of the photo to isolate the subject from a distracting background. A more prominent subject helps to communicate your message plainly and makes it easier to interpret in the photo.
✔︎ Symmetry and balance
Using the crop tool, you can also reposition subjects in relation to the frame to create and improve balance for a more aesthetically pleasing photo.
✔︎ People
Cropping in closer can elevate the viewers' feelings of intimacy and familiarity with the subject. In portrait photography, for example, cropping can make the subjects' eyes appear closer to the camera, enabling that contact with the viewer. If you have photos featuring awkward hand or leg positions, you can use the crop tool to remove the offending limb or, if you prefer, the entire person from the photo.
・・・
Learn more about the Stronger Photo Composition: 4-Step System: https://bit.ly/spt-spc
・・・
Enjoy the video? A small way to say thanks is coffee! https://bit.ly/buymikecoffee
Free 45 minute "STOP Taking Boring Photos' video course: https://bit.ly/sptfreecourse
FREE membership – community forum, tutorials, podcasts - https://bit.ly/sptgetstarted
Recommended smartphone photography gear: https://bit.ly/3gv9JuC
・・・
Passionate - Creative - Curious
- Mike
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smartphonephotoclub/message
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By Mike JamesCropping is one of the most powerful techniques you can use to create compositional opportunities. The crop tool also serves a practical purpose, as it allows you to zoom into a photo and change the aspect ratio to accommodate different printing or posting options. Most importantly, cropping helps to recompose a photo to communicate our intention, story and creativity better.
✔︎ Aspects - Aspect ratios
Cropping to different aspects, or aspect ratios, allows you to optimize photos for different outputs. For example, 16:9 is perfect for display on a TV. I crop to this horizontal landscape to display most of my photos on the TV.
Conversely, cropping photos to a square aspect, 1:1, makes them the perfect size to post on your Instagram feed. Depending on how you display your photos and whether you intend to print them, you can adjust your frame dimension to match photo frames, digital displays, and more.
✔︎ Remove distractions
You can remove distracting subjects and speckles of bright light from the edges by cropping your photos a little tighter (closer).
✔︎ Isolating the subject
Cut out sections of the photo to isolate the subject from a distracting background. A more prominent subject helps to communicate your message plainly and makes it easier to interpret in the photo.
✔︎ Symmetry and balance
Using the crop tool, you can also reposition subjects in relation to the frame to create and improve balance for a more aesthetically pleasing photo.
✔︎ People
Cropping in closer can elevate the viewers' feelings of intimacy and familiarity with the subject. In portrait photography, for example, cropping can make the subjects' eyes appear closer to the camera, enabling that contact with the viewer. If you have photos featuring awkward hand or leg positions, you can use the crop tool to remove the offending limb or, if you prefer, the entire person from the photo.
・・・
Learn more about the Stronger Photo Composition: 4-Step System: https://bit.ly/spt-spc
・・・
Enjoy the video? A small way to say thanks is coffee! https://bit.ly/buymikecoffee
Free 45 minute "STOP Taking Boring Photos' video course: https://bit.ly/sptfreecourse
FREE membership – community forum, tutorials, podcasts - https://bit.ly/sptgetstarted
Recommended smartphone photography gear: https://bit.ly/3gv9JuC
・・・
Passionate - Creative - Curious
- Mike
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smartphonephotoclub/message