How to crop this one?

I'm stuck on the appropriate crop for this one. Any suggestions?

Ideally I think a better option to cropping this shot would have been a tighter framing when taking the picture, and by that I mean walking closer to the trees, not zooming in.

The subject here is the lighthouse because that's what is in the name. When I first opened the picture the trees and the fence had all of my attention and I didn't even see the lighthouse at first. The fence adds depth but does not hold interest for me.

If you were to walk closer to the trees you could explore a better frame of the light house within the trees. Moving closer would change the perspective and that branch would not going through the top of the light house, but it would then be above the light house.


Edit Added: The above comments aside, I would suggest a crop to this image just below the fence and just above the trees.

I must say I agree with Charlie. I hadn't read the title very carefully and only when he pointed out the name did I realise that a lighthouse had anything to do with this. I thought it was a tree shot on first glance.

Even if i had read it and realised this was a 'lighthouse' shot I would have been disappointed since the branch obscures the very part where the light comes out. I hate to sound negative and critical but I don't think the title and the picture work together. maybe it should be 'Muskegon beach in November'

Thank you, both. I had not spent much time thinking about the impact of a title. The lighthouse per se is not what I find intriguing about this scene. Rather, it's the relationship of the lighthouse to the trees. My inclination was to crop the fence out entirely but I think it loses something that way.

P.S. No worries about sounding "negative." One learns when mistakes/issues are pointed out.

i too think you should have walked closer to the trees. when i look at the image i see a wonderful natural frame for the lighthouse where the two branches arc through the upper 1/3 of the lighthouse. had you moved in closer you would have eliminated the fence (sorry, it does nothing for me) and made the lighthouse smaller in relation to the trees and eventually it would have fit in that frame between the two trees and under the arcing branches. this would have also filled up more of the sky with the trees which would help draw top of the file into the picture for me.

overall i love the colors and the soft muted light. with the lighthouse and those pinkish colors it is very romantic. congratulations on creating an image with so much feeling.

Thank you! I'll likely be back there this weekend. I'm not sure of the weather or conditions, though. The weather can get very harsh at this time of year.

Just change the title, "Trees and wall behind the Lighthouse".



Frankly,

I think everyone is wrong here. There's no need to walk closer! The matter that interested Rachel was what was behind the lighthouse. That's her particular point of view that no one else would have. It's essentially right. Imagine if one had gone closer: the perspective of the trees would be so totally different. Going closer is not an option to get the same feel of being "behind the wonderful Lighthouse." it's like looking at an alley behind a great hotel. The idea is to "see it" and not distort it.

If anything, one might clone out the tree intruding on the left. Better, than that, keeping its disturbance to our esthetic need for balance and clean images is perhaps what's needed! After all, this is the unheroic, unsentimental, unpretty picture of what leads to the lighthouse. Hurrah for that!


Just change the title, "Trees and wall behind the Muskegon Lighthouse in November".




Asher

Asher, I think you get what I was interested in: the relationship and proportions between the trees and the lighthouse. I, too, noticed the intrusive tree to the left. My first inclination was to clone it out. What I'm not sure of is how much foreground and the fence.

Rachel

This is the first time I've seen this. I wouldn't crop it, but agree with Asher that you perhaps don't want to suggest teh lighthouse is the primary subject. Trees and a gentle sky with delicate light

Mike

Yes, it's a good point. I gave very little thought to the title. Actually, I would prefer to not entitle it at all.

Delivering the Concept of the Artist as "Art": give, but protect the core intent!

The only crop I'd suggest is barely 1/4" form the lower border just to get the top of the V of smooth light sienna dirt meet the lower edge. Anything else weakens the image. If you wanted a pretty postcard look, you have chosen the wrong shooting viewpoint! However, you wanted this! So be steadfast in putting into what you deliver your viewpoint not what a set designer for a Romance movie might come up with after the fact.

Frankly, the only thing I really don't like on your pictures is a name other than yours, even though it's what you seem to like to do! Rachel Ann Foster is far more distinguished, at least to me! Besides, since the work is so idiosyncratic to your own brain, why donate such a picture to the other name. Do that with a bird in flight or a nice picture of a rose.

Asher

Thank you, Asher. But, you see, the name "Jacob Eliana" is very dear to me. Those are the names of my children. That way anything I produce of value is a very quiet tribute to them and the beauty they have brought into my life.

Rachel Foster said:

Thank you, Asher. But, you see, the name "Jacob Eliana" is very dear to me. Those are the names of my children. That way anything I produce of value is a very quiet tribute to them and the beauty they have brought into my life.

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Well, that's beautiful sentiment!

Asher


The discussion on recognizing "Concept" in photography is moved here.