Galapagos Cruising

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted September 16, 2013664 views3 comments

This photo was taken at Gardner Bay in the Galapagos Islands. The water is such a beautiful color there.

I'm torn about how I should crop this photo and I would like to hear your opinion. I have cropped this small version according to the rule of thirds - the horizon line is one-third up from the bottom and the boat is where the one-third vertical and horizontal lines meet.

The large version is how I originally cropped the image without giving consideration to the rule of thirds. I liked showing more sky and more water, but I am a water person and this may be fogging my judgment.

Although I believe the rule of thirds is often times the best way to compose an image, I also believe that rules can successfully be broken. So I would like your opinion on which version is more pleasing to your eyes.

Thanks so much!

Canon 5D3
24-105mm f/4L IS @ 105mm
1/800, f/5.6, ISO 400
7-11-13; 3:31pm

Comments

3 comments

Comment posted by Michael Cothran on September 17, 2013 at 2:39 PM

The large image is too big to fit my small screen at the office, where I am viewing this, so I cannot tell anything about the composition there. However, the composition on the smaller version looks just fine to me. The placement of the boat and rocks on the horizon seem well-balanced, and the amount of water vs sky is also well-balanced to my eyes. In this image,.I think it's important to include a little sky above the cloud line as you did. I would hit the "save" button on this one, and move on.

Registered on December 5, 2012, 31 Posts, 730 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on September 18, 2013 at 9:28 AM

Carol, the turquoise water is exquisite, but as Michael says, the touch of blue at the top of the sky is important in both versions as presented. I could see a couple of other crops but that depends on the story that you want this picture to tell. If your looking for a sense of extended space and the smallness of man, you could crop some of the water and leave all of the sky. If you want to emphasize the inviting beauty of the water, I think you could crop all of the blue at the top of the sky to really push the viewer to focus on the water. Of the two versions presented here, I Iike the larger version best because the extra blue sky at the top better balances the water.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on September 19, 2013 at 7:12 PM

Your first instinct was correct. I also like the larger version best because of the inclusion of more sky and sea. Looks close enough to thirds in my view, as well. No need to pull out rulers or use crop guides...it's a rule not a law.

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments