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Cropping By: christopher tillisch

How is the concept of cropping important in photography?

Cropping of photos allows for a photographer to express and promote the main focal point(s) of a photo; while also allowing the viewer to focus on the subject matter, and less on any background distractions the photo may have. This concept can also give uncropped photos a more dynamic personality by going beyond just centering the subject and snapping the picture. Cropping a photo may seem quite basic, but it also makes it easier for photographers to refine other elements in the post processing phase.

In Camera Cropping:

In camera cropping, is the ability for a photographer to crop and adjust the focal length of the camera lens, without sacrificing the quality of a photograph in the post processing phase. This is the better practice used among good photographers when taking photos, but it can be a little more challenging if you haven't determined what parts of the scene you would like to leave out of your final photo.

Post Processing Cropping

Post processing cropping allows for a photographer to crop, adjust and removing components from the photo using software after the photo was captured. This type of cropping achieves most of what can be done with "in camera cropping", and is a more flexible alternative. But that doesn't mean that post process cropping is good in every situation. When you are using software to crop your photos after taking them, the main thing you are sacrificing is image quality as you are zooming closer into the photo.

Before and After Cropping

Original photos are shown before and after from left to right.

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