B&W...help with crop?

[Plumcrak]

Been going through some pictures from a couple years ago and ran into this one. I like the shot but cannot decide on a crop. Any C&C would be helpful

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[Mike Buckley]

You're probably going to hate me for suggesting that you digitally remove the bird, but that's what I would do. I would then go with crop #2.

Try bringing out some detail in the black part of the rock. If the highlights aren't blown in the foreground wave, try bringing out more there as well. Otherwise, it's a very nice conversion.

[Geoff F]

For me, Jon.

If going for #1, yes I agree with Mike, lose the gull.

#3 just doesn't work as the scene balance has been lost and the bird isn't large enough to hold all the attention on its own.

Which leaves #2/4 and either one would be acceptable. The rock is around 1/3 from the left edge and the bird is an optional add on to the overall scene. Possibly #2 has the best position for the rock.

[Aforns]

Hi Jon For me the rock should be anchoring the image, would get closer to it with a wide angle and get lots of detail .. then frame lots of sky, got some nice clouds !!!

From the posted like the last one with only pointing the camera up some to have less room below the rock, just a bit.

[Mike Buckley]

For me the rock should be anchoring the image, would get closer to it with a wide angle and get lots of detail .. then frame lots of sky

In other words, get wet! It'll be worth it.

[Plumcrak]

Mike, Geoff and Alfred, Thanks for taking the time to view and comment. I can revisit this if I drive 6.5 hours North...not likely any time soon
I will have to play with it some more in post and see what I can come up with.
Thanks for the helpful tips.
When I make it back up North I will be sure to get wet

[Radu Dinu Cordeanu]

Been going through some pictures from a couple years ago and ran into this one. I like the shot but cannot decide on a crop. Any C&C would be helpful

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For me something like this. Rectangular marquee tool it make a selection,ctrl j,with move tool drags over the rock,with erase tool and clone stamp move out the edges of the selection,then a new selection on the bird and flip horizontal this new selection and so on.Not more than 10min

Thanks for posting

[pnodrog]

You need to decide what it is you are photographing and then commit to it. At a guess I think the the rock and gull were what grabed your interest. Your #2 crop is heading that way and I have just taken it a step further. Very high contrast in the scene is not helping but that's life!

[pnodrog]

I have just seen what Radu has done and it illustrates that the main problem is having two points of interest and the bird moving out the photo. Maybe it just needs unifying?

With the bird on the rock the cropping options open right up. I have just stuck to what I had done but I think there will be better crops with the bird in that position.