This week, Patti has asked us “show how cropping helped to improve an image and create a desired effect.”
I enjoy wildlife photography and even though I usually use a zoom lens the animal or bird I am photographing is often too far away to get a good close up. I crop many of my wildlife photos in order to make the animal the focal point of the image.
Here is the before image of a Ruby Throated Hummingbird at a feeder. The hummingbird is the focal point of the shot but he is too far away to see his face clearly and there are too many distractions around him.
After cropping the photo, I was able to get the desired effect of a closeup of the bird without all of a extra space around him.
All this spring I’ve been watching a pair of Painted Buntings who come by my feeder almost daily. This week was the first time I was able to get some photos of the female. In the original image she’s too far away and I didn’t like having the bird bath in the shot.
After the crop, the female Bunting is the star of the show.
The before picture of a Blanket Flower in my garden is ok, but the bricks and mulch take away from the vibrant colors of the flower.
When I cropped the photo into a square, the colorful flower takes center stage.
Many thanks to Patti for this weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Cropping the Shot
Wandering Dawgs 
Beth, cropping can make or break a photograph. I love what you did here; you took a soso photo and made it a WOW photo in all three shots.
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Thank you Suzanne! The hummingbirds and other birds were putting on a show that morning.
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Very effective crops Beth – I’m still waiting to see my first painted bunting 😦
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Tina, thank you! I’m lucky that there are nesting areas for the buntings in this area and keep my feeder filled with the seeds they like. They are beautiful to see.
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Great cropping, Beth. I really like the hummingbird close up and the bunting. Lovely captures! I admire your patience!
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Patti, thank you! I’m usually not a patient person but I enjoy watching the birds. Trying to getting a photo of them is a challenge, though!
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Could you send that cute hummingbird my way so I could enjoy him too? 🙂
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Sure! Keep an eye out for him! He’ll be hungry after the long flight.
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Ooh. Excellent excellent. I love hummers and Indian Blankets. Superb crops.
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Thank you John! The hummingbirds keep me entertained as long as the flowers are blooming and their feeders are filled.
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Perfect examples of how successful cropping is done.
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Karen, thank you!
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Great images, nicely done.
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Thank you!
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Cropping the shot makes pictures just come alive! You had great success with these captures! The hummingbird is a sweetie!
By the way… you and Judy from New England Garden and Thread are not coming up in my reader. I need to figure out why that is happening. I may need to go into my settings and reconfigure you both. Stay tuned!
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Thanks Nancy. I hope you figure out why we’re not in your reader. I’ve noticed that when I comment on your posts I get a message that it is awaiting moderation. Oh, the mysteries of the internet!
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Well that’s just crazy! I will have to go on my laptop and go figure out all the configurations! That’s gonna be a fun time! 😳
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Good luck!
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