Cropping challenge! How would YOU crop this shot?

[dug777]

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/dug777/SmithsBeach.JPG

 

[GTaudiophile]

I see two options...

Option 1
Option 2


I also did Auto Levels and Contrast. Lowered the brightness by 10 points. Lowered the red saturation but bumped all the other colors up with the exception of magenta. I also did a minor Gaussian blur of 0.4 as I felt that the foreground was so sharp (in option 2) that it distracted the eye from what I would want the viewer to see: the color of the water and the curvature of the bay.

Edit: I would want the viewer to feel as if the air and water have merged and the sky is beating its contestant waves upon the shore.

 

[Aharami]

i thought original pic was perfect, but after seeing GT's crop#2, i think that looks better, although I dont like the blur he applied.

 

[Anubis]

my crop was like GTs #2 however i croped out some of the sky as well to above the clouds, also this image makes a really good HDR

i as well really disslike the blur, simply adjusting the brightness of the forground is enoough for me

 

[GTaudiophile]

Well, what can I say. I love water. I especially love that color of water. I wanted to emphasize it over the "prickly" foreground. Ouch!

 

[DrPizza]

How's this crop?
here

I think the picture looks fine the way you had it, if the intent is to preserve the white sandy beach area. I think it would make a fantastic photo of that beach to be able to take it from a higher altitude at that location, getting a little less of the sky in the picture, but still capturing nearly as much of the foreground. That would also probably expose a little more of the white sandy beach on the left.

 

[skulkingghost]

my tweak / crop

http://www.DanielHellerman.com/smithsbeach.jpg

Tighter crop / saturation / hue / shadow / exposure twaeks

 

[fotomanphil]

Here's my attempt. No sharpening or color adjustments. Just a crop.

I like the colors and details in the foreground.

SmithsBeach.jpg

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: fotomanphil
Here's my attempt. No sharpening or color adjustments. Just a crop.

I like the colors and details in the foreground.

SmithsBeach.jpg

my fav so far