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Which crop and should I clone?

anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
edited October 7, 2009 in Finishing School
Could really use some help here. Not really sure if this should be posted in the Landscape Forum but I am asking for processing help so I thought this would be the better place.

I am putting a photo book together of my recent trip to Cuba. I can't decide what to do with this photo.
  1. I have three different crops below and would love it if you guys chimed in to which one looks best.
  2. There are three large cast iron reliefs that you can make out on the ground - the large rectangles. Should I clone those out? They are significant to this place since they are part of the monument but you really can't make out what they are in the picture.
  3. There is a person sitting on the sea wall to the left of the statue. Should I clone him out? On the one hand I feel he may be distracting to the image, but this place is known for the locals hanging out on the wall to catch the sea breeze.
I really appreciate your help. Feel free to add anything else you think I can do to make the image better.

#1

670342518_q3zgE-L.jpg

#2

670340369_jrh7T-L.jpg

#3

670341539_HFQ5c-L.jpg
"I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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    PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
    edited October 5, 2009
    I always like *wide*, so I'm favoring 2 or 3. I think either of those is good.

    I would clone out the guy sitting on the wall as I find him distracting. YMMV

    I wouldn't worry about cloning out anything else.

    Nice shot! thumb.gif
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    chrismoorechrismoore Registered Users Posts: 1,083 Major grins
    edited October 5, 2009
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    rsquaredrsquared Registered Users Posts: 306 Major grins
    edited October 5, 2009
    I actually do a lot of square crops, but for this one, I like #3 the best. And I also agree with cloning out the guy on the wall...
    Rob Rogers -- R Squared Photography (Nikon D90)
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    AnthonyAnthony Registered Users Posts: 149 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2009
    No.3 and clone out the man on the wall.

    Anthony.
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    FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2009
    #3 and don't clone out the man on the wall!!

    I think he adds to the scene. Yes, it probably takes your photo out of the purely fine art print form (though for me it doesn't, so maybe not), but having him there reinforces the scale of the picture and shows us that the wall provides pa place to sit and contemplate the sea. Perhaps part of the story of everyday life in Cuba.

    Of course, it depends on what you are trying to convey in your book as a whole. If it is about beautiful pictures, then clone. If it is about the country and its people, keep the man in.

    Lovely photo!

    Virginia
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    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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    zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2009
    Number 1 and crop 1/3 off the bottom, the entire base. Now the focus is the statue instead of the base of the statue and you have the castle featured more prominently in the background.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
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    anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2009
    zoomer wrote:
    Number 1 and crop 1/3 off the bottom, the entire base. Now the focus is the statue instead of the base of the statue and you have the castle featured more prominently in the background.

    Hmmm... I think I will keep the guy in the photo. I'm also leaning towards #3 but I thought I'd try Zoomer's suggestion of cropping out some of the base on the statue.

    What do you all think:

    670341539_HFQ5c-L-2.jpg
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
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    AnthonyAnthony Registered Users Posts: 149 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2009
    It makes more sense of the man on the wall if you want to keep him.

    Anthony.
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    zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2009
    Much better, if it were me I would crop even a bit more...to the top of the wall the guy is sitting on so only the ocean showed on that side and clone him out...but looks good as is.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
    http://500px.com/Shockey
    alloutdoor.smugmug.com
    http://aoboudoirboise.smugmug.com/
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    PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2009
    Don't like the new crop and don't like the guy on the wall (still).

    You know how opinions are...
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    rsquaredrsquared Registered Users Posts: 306 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2009
    Not liking the new crop... Still going with #3, but I'm back to undecided on cloning out the man. rolleyes1.gif
    Rob Rogers -- R Squared Photography (Nikon D90)
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    jfriendjfriend Registered Users Posts: 8,097 Major grins
    edited October 7, 2009
    If the picture is about the statue rather than the background to the right of the statue, here's a different crop to consider. If you had a version with a little more room above the statue, I'd go with a little more room on top too. But, starting from what you posted, here's another option:

    673309641_7LEhJ-XL.jpg
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