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StrollerEd

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 13, 2011
995
6,938
Scotland
This topic has probably come up before, altho' I've not found it.

I took this shot quickly when out a couple of days ago and the tram was about to arrive from behind me to spoil it.

What cropping would you deploy? There is a trade-off wrt the Castle in the distance. Also, although not intended, there's a problem with the straightness of lines.

1617280141976.jpeg
 

OldMacs4Me

macrumors 68020
May 4, 2018
2,327
29,967
Wild Rose And Wind Belt
Probably would not do anything. If I was being extremely fussy, I would skew the upper right corner inwards. After that, perhaps crop something like this, depending on whether you are trying to preserve the yellow square lower left. You could also take more off the top depending on personal taste.

Screen Shot 2021-04-01 at 6.33.52 AM.png
 
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mollyc

macrumors G3
Aug 18, 2016
8,065
50,744
I much prefer your original to the cropped version you offered. In the crop you've ever so slightly taken off the top the pink sign name, which looks both careless and emphasizes the crookedness.

I cannot discern a castle anywhere in the photo, so that is of no consequence. Then decide the story of your photo. I prefer a 2:3 ratio (standard in a full camera, not so in a phone). I took your photo into PS and see that it must be a phone photo, so some (for me) should be cropped off the top and bottom. Then you decide if you want the story to be about the tracks, in which case you take more off the sky, or if you want the story to be about the sky, in which case you take off the bottom. I personally would not take an even amount off the top and bottom as that leaves your horizon in the middle.

Here are two options:

1617280141976.jpg


1617280141976 copy.jpg


I personally prefer the second, with the focus on the rails - I feel like that is the main story of the photo, given that you are standing at the station. If you recreate this, I'd offer a suggestion to crouch down a bit and get lower, emphasizing the rails even more from a different perspective. When shooting and setting up, a lot of cropping is done with the initial composition. I try to save cropping just for straightening, rather than "rescuing." There are times where a good crop really helps a photo along but I would argue that composition in camera is much more important.

This particular image has a bit of wonky lines going on, and I'm not crazy how the pink name thing is leaning, but I did not address that in this; these are just basic crops for discussion.
 

StrollerEd

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 13, 2011
995
6,938
Scotland
Thanks all.

It was hastily taken as I was with company and I needed to catch them up. I will return and take more time. Might even have a compact camera with me ;).

As for the Castle, I could see that in the distance and that is what drew me to the scene.
 
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