Often when reviewing photographs that I have taken I see many photographs within the original photo.  When I reviewed this photo I couldn’t see any way to better my original capture.  I liked it as it was!  So I didn’t work on any alternative views…

It seems from my comments thread that I may have been mistaken, so I present to you some alternative cuts…

P1030697_edited-1 JD Crop

P1030697_edited-1 JD Crop 2

P1030697_edited-1 JD Crop 3

P1030697_edited-1 DQ Crop

P1030697_edited-1 DQ Crop 2

P1030697_edited-1 DQ Crop 3

I have to confess that after the suggested alterations I saw that I had missed some of the different perspectives in my original photo.  Now it has been pointed out to me I can see others too.

You will be pleased to know I have turned off Photoshop for the time being, so I won’t be tempted to add some additional variations ;-)

I do wonder which crop appeals the most and if you can see a better crop…

12 Comments CherryPie on Feb 19th 2013

12 Responses to “The Cropping of Ducks”

  1. JD says:

    JD crop2
    and
    DQ crop2

    although with the latter it might have been better to have the quacker lower in the frame
    :)

    9/10
    very good

    • CherryPie says:

      I also like JD crop 2. That picture and the one above I had to clone out the back of the lady duck, which is why the water top left hand corner of the first photo doesn’t quite work…

      That problem got me thinking the proportions would still be right if the duck was nearer to the left of the photo which resulted in JD crop 3.

      And that thought led me to experimenting with the duck at the top of the photo DQ crop 2. I am not keen on it, as you say it would be better if she was lower in the frame ;-)

      Of these alterations in addition to JD crop 2 I also like DQ crop 3. But of course I still like my original directors cut too ;-)

  2. Every one a beauty but I like the final two best, and if allowed only one then the last one… but then the 2nd one is awfully good too. A great shot (and seen upside down or at 90 degrees as in an Aileen fly-by are both good too)

    • CherryPie says:

      The second from the bottom really needs to be framed a little differently for me to appreiciate. She needs to be lower in the picture frame…

      I would love to see a visual of Eileen’s perspective ;-)

  3. rusty duck says:

    I’d agree with JD.
    Great pictures Cherie.

  4. Ginnie says:

    My favorite is #2 and next favorite is #4. Well done, Cherry. :) It shows to go ya that there’s always more than one way of seeing something!

  5. Chrissy says:

    I am with JD too…..I always like a little space in the frame in the direction that either the animal or person is looking. Lovely reflections :)

    • CherryPie says:

      To get the space at the front, I had to do a bit of erasing of the back of the female duck. That is why the water in the first photo looks a little odd at the top left!

  6. J_on_tour says:

    I like the detail on the second one and preferring the first to the third based on its position in the image. However seeing we have the full picture, nothing beats the story of the original.