Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dear Luggers, Thanks to you all for you contribution in the debate on this topic. I love the wide variety of opinions and the positive and serious manner in which they are expressed: the LUG at its best! Jim Brick wrote: "you should always present your best picture". He hits the nail right on its head! Let's see what sort of pictures that could be, and what that has to do with cropping There is no doubt in my mind that in in any photography that is aimed at a print or a picture on a monitor, cropping is a major tool in perfecting the picture, before - there was the crucial word - it is presented to the public. And there is also no doubt in my mind that when the picture is selected for further us, magazines, books etc, cropping is what always happens before the final presentation is ready. Here cropping is a very important esthetic tool for photographer and publisher to get that best picture. My point is that when we discuss a picture that is presented to us, we see it after the maker has done everything to present his or hers best picture. That, for me, is the moment where we should delve in the picture in more depth - like discussing what we think and feel when we see it - rather than again work at slicing off a bit here and there. I think any maker deserves more than that! Not only a discussion on composition, but also on significance and feel. OK, for the PAW pictures the publication on the web is indeed an earlier stage, like showing your pictures in your neighborhood photoclub. We all can learn there, and certainly from the experts, how to crop. FOM2 is different. And I must concede that pictures there are treated differently. (Merits frequent visits and IMHO more publicity on the LUG) Nevertheless, also for PAW, I would applaud those that do not restrict their commentary to cropping suggestions, but do go further. I will, try, to join in. Exceptions: some Luggers do not wish to crop. Others make colorslides for projection purposes, and then cropping is not an option. They have learned to do their cropping while making the picture. A possibility for them : when they present a PAW picture, tell cropping was not a consideration, somewhat like Arne Helme did. Who does not like to crop. I am one of them too (make my pictures mainly in color, some Scala B&W, for projection) , and now, d - - -, 10 of my Mongolia pictures will appear in a magazine, and I expect serious cropping by the publisher! Serves me right, I suppose! Sander van Hulsenbeek Amsterdam Holland - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html