Perspective – an essential tool in the photographer’s artistic arsenal – we use it to show our viewers what we want them to see. Cropping a shot to emphasize an element or viewpoint can make that shot more interesting, mysterious, curious. I will say, that I crop my shots while I’m taking them, we all do. But sometimes, I find an interesting element later – one that I’d like to emphasize that catches my attention in post-processing. An issue with post-process cropping is that the digital file must be large enough that when I crop it down, I have enough pixels that I don’t lose resolution. This shot was a very large High Dynamic Range image, so I didn’t lose any resolution. The cropping issue is one of the reasons that I always shoot in RAW rather than JPEG and I’m also fortunate to have a large sensor in my Nikon D600. Here’s my interpretation for this week’s challenge.
Perspective
And here’s the original shot.
Rusting in the Foothills
I like both, but I must say that I find the first one more interesting. What do you think?
To learn more about the Weekly Photo Challenge, click here.
This is my 300th post! Thanks to all of my readers and friends here on WordPress. I couldn’t have done it without you!
Cathy
LargeSelf 
I enjoy close-up shots (except of my face…), so I, too, love the first one. But it’s nice to see the one below, because it gives the first shot perspective.
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Like you, I love close-ups (also except of my face). The challenge this week was interesting and it makes for a valuable lesson in photography. Thanks for the comment, Carrie. How’s the new book coming along?
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Good, thank you. Working on the beginnings of an outline. In fact, I’m just about to put up a post about it. 🙂
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Perspective « LargeSelf […]
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I’m with you Cathy – I like the first one more. But this is all a matter of degrees, for the second one is terrific too!
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Thanks, Mimi! They are quite different aren’t they?
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Perspective « LargeSelf […]
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Congrats! I too love the closeup. Well, and the original. Both.
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Thanks, Elyse! I’m with you. It’s hard to pick!
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Great work! I like both too! Would love to see a metal sculpture get his hands on this and give it a new life!
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Thanks, Kathryn. You know, there’s a guy here in Fort Collins who does just that – metal sculpture of old, rusted farm equipment. He does whimsical animals – mostly dinosaurs and displays them on his farm homestead just outside of town.
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I can picture that beautify piece of old equipment as multiple pieces. I loved your photo !
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I prefer the close-up. Every leaf of the grasses is visible, and there is more attention to the varied colours of the rust. For me, seeing only part of the machine makes it more intriguing.
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Thanks, Clare. I think the detail is quite interesting on that part of the machine.
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I often find it difficult to chose between two pictures such as these because they convey very different feelings. The close-up focuses on the lines and shapes while the second shows me the beauty of the entire piece and the surrounding area. Congratulations on 300 posts, Cathy!
janet
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Thanks, Janet. I agree, they do convey very different feelings. I think that many times, I prefer the close-up because it draws my attention to details that I may have missed, but the big picture is expansive.
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Perspective « LargeSelf […]
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300 posts! That’s quite an accomplishment. Congratulations.
I’m in the camp that prefers the first photo, though I also like the second. I find the contrast of the curved lines against the angled grasses, as well as the contrast of purples and greenish yellows, so pleasing in the first. And yet, there’s also something nice about the way a rusting piece of farm equipment, abandoned in the wild, has come to seem like a piece of art placed purposefully to contrast with nature.
Beautiful!
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Thank you so much, Mary! I agree. This challenge is about perspectives but I see contrasts in feelings, colors, impressions simply from cropping a shot. Very interesting! Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
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I go like the perspective of the first shot but I also love the green landscape of the second.
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I do not I go
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Thanks, Audra. And may your midterms go with ease! 🙂
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Ugh. Thank you.
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I love the close-up. It makes me think of a giant’s Slinky, abandoned in the grass.
Here’s to another 300 posts, every bit as cool as this one. Congratulations! 🙂
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Thanks so much, Jennifer. It does look kind of like a slinky! I wish I knew what this thing actually is or was!
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It looks like some sort of old grain harvesting tractor to me. The big wheel is probably designed to separate the grain from the plant. They still use similar methods today.
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Cathy, I love the first one. That lavender hued patina against the green is beautiful. I think close-up shots show the stunning beauty of things we sometimes overlook or take for granted.
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I agree, Brigitte. The close-up emphasizes the color and contrast! Thanks!
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Cathy, I like both, but I view the big picture as more cinematic, an image I’d expect to see in a Western directed by John Ford. Still on the topic of film, how appropriate that you publish your 300th post on the weekend that a film called “300: Rise of an Empire” raked in $45.1 million at the box office, even though I have zero intention of seeing that. But I do look forward to seeing your next 300 posts.
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Thanks, V. You’re too kind! After having seen the trailers for “300” I have no intention of seeing it either. Eva Green does look very exotic in said trailers, however.
I agree that the big picture is more cinematic. That piece of farm equipment sits in a field in a valley between ridges of foothills. I liked the rock walls in the distance and thought they created an unexpected backdrop.
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Congratulations Cathy on 300 posts! May there be many more 🙂
I like both photos but if I had to choose I would choose the first one – it seems more vibrant somehow.
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Thanks, Lorraine. The contrasting colors seem more pronounced in the first photo as there’s little else to see. It is interesting how one draws the eye so differently to the other isn’t it?
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Oo, I actually love both equally. Never would have thought to focus on just that part but it makes an excellent picture.
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Thanks, Laura! It was an interesting exercise.
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Perspective « LargeSelf […]
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Perspective « LargeSelf […]
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Perspective « LargeSelf […]
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[…] Weekly Photo Challenge – Perspective « LargeSelf […]
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Well…I think I like the second one better, even though I do like the first one very much. Perhaps it’s because I shoot a lot of landscapes myself that I lean towards the “big picture.” And 300 posts, congratulations! As has been said, I’m looking forward to the next 300.
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Thanks so much, Lee! I think this was a very interesting challenge. And I realized that the shot I picked demonstrated the big difference between the detail and the big picture shot. In some ways, it was even difficult for me to “grok” that they both were from the same shot!
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Wow! Congrats on your 300th post Cathy! And I love your closer perspective here. Although the original is a great shot too. Old farm machinery always makes me wistful for some reason! Lovely share. 🙂 Gina
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Thanks so much, Gina. I agree, I love old farm machinery. I find myself wondering what it was used for and who used it!
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Firstly, congratulations on your 300th plus post. Like your photos very much – especially those 2 of the old rusty farm machinery – difficult to choose which I prefer – both really. Thanks – follow you now. Carina
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Thank you, Carina! And thanks for the follow! Been busy this week, but I’ll have time tomorrow to get over and check your site. Glad you like the photos! Cathy
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