Latest Chapter Assignments

Latest Chapter Assignments

Assignment: Cropping for Impact

Don't be bashful! If you want comments, give comments. You don't need to be an expert photographer to express your opinion about the work of others. You don't need to go into great depth. A simple remark about cropping, composition, color, subject matter, etc. can be of just as much help to a budding photographer as an in-depth critique.

Create a photograph keeping in mind the cropping guidelines discussed in this chapter. Find an image that you like but could possibly be made better by creatively cropping it. Crop it three to four different ways and note how the impact of the image is changed for the better or worse.

The image chosen demonstrates two of the cropping tips. The photographer left the little girl small in the photograph relative to the environment, and there is extra space before her as she skips down the stairs. This cropping gives the perspective of a little girl in a bigger environment, and you can see some of the foreground toward which she moves. If it had been cropped differently, to eliminate the stairs, for example, the girl might look as though she were flying.

Remember to visit www.photoworkshop.com/books after you complete this assignment and share your favorite photo! It’s a community of enthusiastic photographers and a great place to view what other readers have created. You can also post comments, and read other encouraging suggestions and feedback.