Vis-à-vis

--Lannie

This photo appears in the same folder without such a tight crop on the faces.  I like this version better.

--Lannie

Here is the original framing:

[link]

Please tell me which crop you think is better--and why.

--Lannie

I like the other composition better.  I simply like the visual effect of the placement of the two glasses in front of the lady on the right.  I don't see a compelling reason for minimizing these two ladies by cropping out half their faces.  I also think the bun (donut?) doesn't deserve the prominence it gets with this crop, though they could be arguing over who is going to get the first bite of it. With imaginative cropping one could get two nice balanced photos from that shot.   Best, LM.

Two shots in one.  Best, LM.

Very nicely done, Len!

Thank you once again, my friend.

--Lannie

I only wish that I had had more pixels left to work with after the crop.  As I recall (and it has been a long time since the shot was made), the original took in all or almost all of the people on the dais.  Cropping these two women out resulted in a file that is a bit lean, data wise.  The result is a crop that is at the very margins of usability.  It is one of those that one wishes that one had moved closer in for, but, alas, one only realizes that after the fact.  I saw the crop of the two women much later, after the shoot, as I recall.

I only had the 100 f/2.8L IS Macro with me that day, and it was on the camera.  Zooming in or reaching into the bag for a longer lens was not an option.

I have toyed with the idea of shopping out the bun and even the entire plate and fork.  Doing that right could take a very long time for someone with my limited Photoshop skills. I just do not like the bun being "front and center."

--Lannie