BASIC cropping advice

I am new to photography and I took a photo of a lizard and I am not sure of the best way to crop the image. Can someone take a look at my image and give me some feedback on the cropped version? Should I crop more out of it? What do you base your decision for cropping it on?

Thanks!

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A fairly basic rule of composition is Fill the Frame

Before cropping comes framing. So I base it on the final shot that I'm able to get. For instance in your shot, that would be the first one I took. (Safety shot). Then I'd get closer & take another one. Repeat until the little guy goes away. Now I've got something to work with. Out of your shot, I'd probably throw 95% of it away.

Do you crop most of the time?

To paraphrase Mr Cartier-Bresson a bit, decide what your subject is, leave in anything that adds to the subject, eliminate anything that detracts from the subject.

I like it like this:

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I'm new here, but to my personal taste I would crop it more, to get rid of some distractions. For instance, that thing (maybe dry palm?) on the top right is distracting to me because its reflecting as much light as the rock. So my eye goes back and forth instead of focusing on the detail of the lizard. I would crop out the bottom half of the rock, and a little bit of the tail from the left side (to get it on the bottom left point from using the rule of thirds).

Just my two cents, I'm no pro .

I didn't get to see the post above me, mrwalker's version is good that it does not have distractions so the viewer can focus on the main subject .

Thanks to everyone for providing info/advice!

I like what you did mrwalker, however, by doing this:

1. It removes the elements to the right of the lizard showing it looking off into the distance off of the rock. That was my original intention, though it sounds like everyone else is suggestion to fill the frame with the lizard?

2. When cropping so many pixels, at what point does it become a problem with regard to printing when so much is cropped out? How do you make cropping decisions while considering how it will affect the print?

Thanks!

stanwelks wrote in post #13981030
Thanks to everyone for providing info/advice!

I like what you did mrwalker, however, by doing this:

1. It removes the elements to the right of the lizard showing it looking off into the distance off of the rock. That was my original intention, though it sounds like everyone else is suggestion to fill the frame with the lizard?

2. When cropping so many pixels, at what point does it become a problem with regard to printing when so much is cropped out? How do you make cropping decisions while considering how it will affect the print?

Thanks!

The 'space in the direction of the sight-line' is a good idea, problem here (for me at least) is that it runs into some very distracting background (esp the dry palm frond) so better cut it short at the bricks.

I just think of the target aspect ratio and print size (check with your printers esp. re DPI) and crop accordingly!

Caveat: See my signature!

I would have liked to have gone even tighter, showing only a portion of the lizard, but there just wasn't enough photo to work with. I like PhotosGuy's advice to take several different shots so that you have more of a choice in your cropping. (This example shows the downside of cropping too far and losing resolution and detail.)

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stanwelks wrote in post #13981030
Thanks to everyone for providing info/advice!

I like what you did mrwalker, however, by doing this:

1. It removes the elements to the right of the lizard showing it looking off into the distance off of the rock. That was my original intention, though it sounds like everyone else is suggestion to fill the frame with the lizard?

I think that's a good idea, but instead of saying, "I took a photo of a lizard", you might have said what your intention right at the beginning? What you gave us was not a photo of a lizard, but instead is a lizard in a landscape which needs a lot of cropping to be a "photo of a lizard".

So... a closer vertical shot from more to the right showing the drop-off below him with the busy background more out of focus would have been my choice.

stanwelks wrote in post #13981030
...

It removes the elements to the right of the lizard showing it looking off into the distance off of the rock. That was my original intention, ...

The problem is that your lizard gets lost in the composition. (Squint your eyes and look at your photo - the general shapes and colors are kind of confusing and not very compelling.)

Now, if you replaced that background and had the lizard perched out over something a little more interesting, then you would have good justification for a looser crop. Another rule of composition is that your image should tell a story and shouldn't contain any more than necessary to tell that story.

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Here's my take on the crop. Leaves some visual interest on the right side of the image, and you can tell the lizard is contemplating where he's going to go next.

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