Summer Morning Haze - to crop or not to crop?

[Sailor Don]

Fellow photographers,

How much to crop? That is the question.

In this picture, I am trying to convey a quiet, peaceful, serene setting. In the first crop, I get close to a "standard" aspect ratio of width to height.

In the second crop, I get a more "panoramic" aspect ratio.

Which cropping makes the best photo?

Crop 1
http://users3.ev1.net/~sailord/Summer%20Morning%20Haze_sm.jpg

Crop 2
http://users3.ev1.net/~sailord/Summer%20Morning%20Haze%20Pan_sm.jpg

[Leighow]

My own gguess is for the 2nd uncropped edition. Why? Because:

1: The cropped version adds to much stress on the fence -- which is not much to look at anyway.

2: The uncropped version adds sun to the sidewalk and hints at a dynamic from mist to grass to sidewalk.

3: So too the sun on the sidewalk takes your eyes down -- rather that up at the grey sky. The right side trees are in darkness that adds to the impact of the sunlight.

The mood is better there for you ... but it is a suburban scene and while the peace comes through .. a neighbouring yard with flowers or simewthing might be stronger. Too bad some dust or something is not "rayed" in the right hand foreground.

[SWPhotoImaging]

I agree, It seems like a picture of a fence, with some blown out grass for interest

[Michaelmjc]

What is crop? Does it just make everything lighter and sharper?

Sorry, I am getting all confused with all these terms.

Michael

[Rendezvous]

Crop is how much you cut away from the original picture. Think of it s like having a pair of scissors on a photo print. :)

[Sailor Don]

Thank you for your input.

The original image for Summer Morning Haze is posted below (in reduced size). I cropped the large amount of concrete patio out of the foreground, since it didn't add anything in my opinion.
http://users3.ev1.net/~sailord/IMG_2088_sm.jpg