4/27/2011

How To Edit Photos - Crop For Perfect Composition

By David Peters


The composition of a photograph can either draw the eye to your work, or fail to get across the desired message to the viewer. Many elements are needed to create a wonderful photograph, but composition is one of the most important. Composition deals with how the various elements of the photograph work together in both placement and interaction to convey what the photographer sees and feels.

Knowing what creates a good composition defines the great photographers from the amateurs. Many factors make up good composition, but cropping is perhaps one of the most important parts.

Improving the composition of a photograph is simple through the cropping tool available in Photoshop. With this, you can swiftly cut out areas of the photo that you wish to be removed, or that take away from the photo's subject. Photoshop enables you to measure the portions to by cut, to ensure accuracy.

The best part about cropping using Photoshop's cropping tool is that if you don't like how your photo looks after it has been cropped you can simply go back to where you started and try again. You can essentially experiment with an unlimited number of possibilities.

Here are some tips for better cropping.

Consider the Rule of Thirds

You will typically never see the professional photographer center the subject in a photo, while the amateur usually does. By moving the subject off center, you will create more visual interest and appeal to your image. Visualize three lines dividing your image into even thirds and crop your photo in a manner that will place your subject into one of the outer thirds. Experiment as much as you want to reach your desired effect, but make sure to save a copy of your image as an original in a separate folder.

Crop to Traditional Print Sizes

When cropping your pictures check the sizing to make sure they will print in a standard size such as 4x6. If they do not correspond to these sizes try cutting a little more off. Otherwise when you take them into print at the local lab the photo lab may have to crop them even more to make them print the right size.

Framing becomes a thing of photography days gone by thanks to the ease by which Photoshop allows you to crop photos. All you have to do is edit images via computer. Dont worry about what your version of Photoshop is. The technical aspects of using the cropping tool are basically the same from Photoshop Elements to the more advanced version, Photoshop CS.




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