Tree, rotting pier and dinghy

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I like them both, but I think I prefer the new, square crop. Maybe it's just because it's so much fun to see something that Russ has cropped.    

Eric

[RSL]

Easy now, you guys. I'm still not convinced I like the cropped version better than the original. The two pictures are very different. Dark seems to want a square format as a general thing. Maybe he spent too much time with a Rollei or a Hasselblad. I tend to think that in most cases a 2 x 3 or 4 x 5 aspect ratio is better than a square. But the square format can project a calm, static feeling, which is appropriate for this subject, which is calm and static. On the other hand, I really like the tree and the sort of fortuitous way the dock meets the rock. So, the moral of this story is: always meditate quietly in a dark room for at least an hour before you crop.

[dwood]

The same morning I made this picture, I also shot one that omitted the tree. I liked it but in the end, the frame with the tree won out. It just "felt" better.

[JeffKohn]

Jeff, Well, here it is with the left 1/3 removed. I suspect that if that's what Doug wanted, that's what he'd have shot.

[attachment=16587:39210537...453e94_o.jpg]

But I have to admit, it's not bad. Actually, I'm not sure I don't like it better than the original.

Like I said I do like the original, I just thought I'd offer my thoughts on another possible approach. I do think both versions have their merits, they're just different. The crop changes the overall impression of the shot quite a bit, actually, which I find interesting.

[Michael West]

This is an early morning scene on the coastline of Stonington, Maine. Under clear skies, you'd see a point of land to the right of the dinghy, islands beyond and open ocean. The fog was so thick, I'd guess you couldn't see more than 50 yards in front of you. It was dark and the air was thick with moisture. It was the perfect setting (IMO) for this picture.

Lovely image indeed.

[Ben Rubinstein]

I'm going to be boring and disagree with you all I'm afraid. There are 3 very strong and stark elements here, all competing for attention so that I don't know what to focus on. I don't know what the subject is and my eye keeps darting back and forth between the elements. I just find it too busy. If the tree and pier were elements leading into the subject, the boat (that's how the symmetry would have it) then it would work, but they don't 'lead into' they 'compete' with the subject.

[cmi]

A really beautiful and well composed scene, this calmness is very very appealing. A place (also as the other images with the many boats indicates) to totally relax.

Not an image where I thought about cropping at all but still the crop is a good suggestion even if I prefer the original.

I feel in direct comparisation the square version gives me a slightly boring/normal feeling wich I dont get looking at the original version. It doesn't quite hold up for me.

I alsi would not clone out the lobster buoys. They give depth, these are the typical small details you encounter on second or third glance. I simply love such details.

Christian

[vorlich]

As soon as I saw this, I thought 'square crop', but have to admit, the original is better. Dunno if it was possible, but my preference would have been to move left and recompose to isolate the pier and boat from the shore, giving a more minimal composition. I find the rock unbalances the image a bit, but really I'm being super critical, it's still a cracking image as is.