Mountain Horse.

[gahspidy]

I think you have a very good shot here. I like the original crop but prefer the color correction jgredline did afterwards. In the original crop, the sky helps keep the scene open with room to breathe. although it is only a sliver of sky, I like it better than without any at all.
I'm thinking that getting down lower and opening up the shot a bit more would have gave the added benefit of the wonderful surroundings and the sky that seems to have some cloud definition. I agree with Aaron about opening up the scene..
Still, a very nice shot.
btw, I myself shoot with the intent on getting the scene just as I want it with no crop if I can. The 10 mp out of my Rebel XTi is not nearly the resloution I would like to have, so, in no way do I want to reduce it even more with a crop. Of course, if later on when viewing the shots on my computer I see a crop will make or break a shot, it's good to have the tool so readily available.
The thing is, you should take lots of shots of a scene like this from different angles and different compositions. This leaves you with a greater chance of nailing the one that will frame on the wall.

[threelions usa]

not wishing to be contentious but i know i started the "crop" ~ "no crop" argument.

unfortunately as i am very new to the subject of photography, i don't know what i am looking for as yet. how to "fill the frame" so to speak.

some of the examples of folks cropping my photos helps me next time out. and then again the next time out.

i can see where the more experienced eye would feel that a crop gives you an easy "out" so to speak.

also i have only 2 lenses right now (the ones that came with the E-500) and most definitely i cannot always get close enough or far enough away to take a worthwhile shot.

until i get much more experience and add a wide angle or large zoom i am stuck. the crops help me assess and i try to read and absorb (although not always able to) a post such as this. it provides stimulation to me so that next time i find i am looking a bit differently than i did when i came here. every time out i hope i can improve by without the cropping tool and the input and suggestions i get i would be no closer to understanding what it is that makes a good shot.

i have gone through the "rules" that should apply (thirds, horizon) and i try to observe them. i come back to find it is okay to "break" the rule.

i saw that the last 2 or 3 pictures of the week began as something else. they eventually got cropped into that "award." without those i would be still looking at the original and wondering what is it that makes this a good shot.

i am not suggesting even remotely that when i next go out i will be able to replicate one of these photos, but at least i am now learning how to eliminate some clutter. hopefully when i submit something for "critique" someone will crop one of my shots and show me where i could have down better.

eventually i hope to have a couple more lenses and a wider array of knowledge than i possess right now. until i do, i am afraid that the crop is the only tool that will at least in some way (as well as others i try to get just by looking and assessing) advance my knowledge.

i actually don't look at something thinking that "i'll crop my way out of it" and to my untrained eye everything looks worth keeping. unfortunately it usually isn't.

still i hope that i can continue that by increasing my knowledge that maybe i will get that photo that has no unnecessary "extras" in it and not have to crop the finished article.

[MarcusK]

threelions, how about you start up a topic regarding the crop issue in the help files allowing as such for more people to interject and post different shots without affecting any particular posts... This will be of a lot of help for you as well as for others.

You could also take a photo which you you have very easy access to (anything at or around home) and post it each time taking in comments!

I'm sure there will be a lot of help and tips given over there than in here, since most will stick to critiquing the photos!

Cheers,
Marc

[gahspidy]

[QUOTE=threelions usa]not wishing to be contentious but i know i started the "crop" ~ "no crop" argument.
QUOTE]

We certainly do not want to hang up this thread here on a crop discussion. Marcus is right, the topic of cropping would make a good thread to start up in Viewfinder or the Help forums. Give it a go, I bet the discussion would be interesting and informative.

[jgredline]

threelions, how about you start up a topic regarding the crop issue in the help files allowing as such for more people to interject and post different shots without affecting any particular posts... This will be of a lot of help for you as well as for others.

You could also take a photo which you you have very easy access to (anything at or around home) and post it each time taking in comments!

I'm sure there will be a lot of help and tips given over there than in here, since most will stick to critiquing the photos!

Cheers,
Marc

YES !
I for one have many questions regarding cropping...
I would suggest also placing a link here in this thread to direct folks to the new cropping topic..

[MarcusK]

To Crop or Not To Crop


Cheers