Cropping. Important tips
Published: 22.10.2021
Cropping is a way of correctly choosing the angle and scale of the image in the frame. Cropping can either improve or ruin a photograph. Some photographers believe that cropping should be done during shooting, while others are confident that it is possible to crop and improve the composition in graphic editors during post-processing. Both are right. It is preferable to take photos in a way that does not require heavy editing later on. And if there are any flaws, why not correct them in Photoshop.
There are no clear rules on how to properly crop a photo. There are a number of tips and recommendations on how to crop a photo better and what not to do. However, each photo is unique, and there are always exceptions to the rules. This article is advisory in nature, based on the opinions of professional photographers regarding photo cropping. Ultimately, how to proceed depends on the author of the photo.
How to crop photos better
Here are some important tips on how to crop a photo:
1. When taking a photo, think about what you want to convey and what you want to emphasize. Long shots and panoramas allow you to show an object in its environment, demonstrating the surroundings. Close-up shots help to focus on small details. For example, when photographing a girl on the beach, you can take a full-length shot. The frame will include the beach, the sea, the sky, and viewers will see her walk, posture, and what the girl is doing during her leisure time. A close-up shot of her face will convey her facial expressions, mood, and show details of her makeup. Both photos will be interesting to the audience, but they are completely different and tell different stories. The choice of details or surroundings is up to the photographer.
2. The background is of great importance in photography, as it conveys mood, shows the story, and adds "air" to the images. The background can complement the main composition or sharply contrast with it. It is best to place the main object in the upper third of the image, as this part attracts the most attention. If you crop the background, the entire composition is often lost, and the image becomes unremarkable, so be careful when cropping photos, do not remove interesting details.
When cropping a portrait, if you crop the photo to leave only the face in close-up, keep in mind that all imperfections (wrinkles, blemishes) will be visible on the face. Before cropping the photo, make sure there are no noticeable defects on the face and the focus is on the eyes. If during the shooting you focused on another point, it is better to leave the photo uncropped.
4. Do not crop the top of the head or chin of the model in a portrait photo, otherwise the face will look disproportionate and unattractive. Frame the shot slightly below the collarbone or chest line. Try to avoid cropping out the hands, as they add attractiveness to the photo, and a portrait with cropped hands may not look very harmonious.
5. Do not frame the photo along the joint lines, cropped arms up to the elbow, legs up to the knee, and half of the pelvis make the body look disproportionate and ruin the photograph. If you have taken a photo with the model's legs, keep in mind that the more legs are captured, the more dynamic the photo looks, showing the direction of the model's movement, the entire pose. Legs in the frame allow you to fully assess the figure. Think twice before framing the photo, show your friends and acquaintances several options of the photograph and ask them to choose the most attractive shot.
6. If there is movement in the photo, it is preferable to place the subject closer to the edge of the frame. For example, if a girl is walking from left to right, place her in the left part of the frame. This way, you will show the direction of movement, add space and dynamics to the photo. The same applies to photos of cars, show that the car is moving and in which direction. Even if the car is moving, but you take a close-up shot of it, the object will look static and the action will not be visible.
7. When you photograph a person who is looking somewhere, show the surrounding environment next to them, demonstrate what exactly caught the model's interest and attracted their gaze. If you crop part of the picture, the photo will look empty and uninformative.
8. Be careful with close-up framing. For example, when you want to show only the eyes or mouth of the model, make sure they are captured in good lighting and look attractive. If you want to conceal a flaw, on the contrary, capture more details in the frame. For instance, if a girl has a large nose or irregular facial features, but long and beautiful legs, take a full-body photo, focus on the strengths, and divert attention from the flaws.
9. Do not crop the hands or fingers of the model. Cut-off body parts will look as if you performed an amputation, and such a photo looks horrifying.
10. Don't forget that when cropping, the resolution of the photo decreases, so if the image is blurry or of poor quality, the flaws will be even more noticeable. Save your photos in RAW format, then during editing in graphic editors and when cropping, you will not degrade the quality of the image.
It is not necessary to follow all the advice listed. Rules exist to be broken. Experiment, try different framing options, and find your own style. It is possible that a photo framed not according to the rules will look more interesting, and viewers will perceive it not as a mistake, but as a creative artistic idea. Adapt to the circumstances, if you need to crop a photo, do it, compare both options and keep the best one. You can practice cropping directly in our editor, using magnetic frames with different shapes.
Cool photos deserve unique framing. Print your cool photos in a Polaroid style. Fans of instant photography from the 90s can experience familiar feelings by holding a Polaroid-style photo in their hands. Those who are not familiar with traditional Polaroids will appreciate the square images with space for captions.
