It’s amazing how much simply cropping a picture can change how it may be interpreted. In this example, while there isn’t anything inherently wrong with the original, cropping it to leave out some details and move the focal point changes its meaning. Although art never truly has only one meaning and it’s left up to the viewer to develop and interpret their own, between these two pictures, it is undeniable that they invoke different paths of thought. While the first one appears more distant and gives off an isolated feeling, my cropped version makes the subject feel closer and attempts to create a feeling that is a bit more grounded in the structure rather than the stretch of ground before it as in the first picture.
Both the original and derivative above tell stories and invoke emotions of their own. In my opinion, there is never only one way to portray a scene, and I don’t believe that one is more correct than the other. Cropping is important in how it alters how a viewer experiences an image; therefore, the one taking or cropping an image must keep in mind the focal point and subjects contained within as small changes can make the same image appear completely different even though they cover the same scene.
Hello Megan! Great job on the cropping assignment. You are completely right, art has no one “right” interpretation, which is one of its many wonderful characteristics. Similarly, there is no one right way to crop an image. The original image seems much more open, and my eyes tends to drift around the landscape. The derivative forces me to focus more on the building. I start to wonder who, if anyone, might live there. The silhouette along with sepia tones exhibits a mysterious, and slightly spooky atmosphere. Excellent use of the rule of thirds to draw attention to the castle and disregard the empty space around it. The only thing that I would suggest considering is the location of the tree in relation to the edge of the image. That can often create tension, so adding a small amount of space to the left of the tree might be interesting to see how it affects the image. Overall, marvelous job!
Hi Megan, I love how you describe both images’ feelings. The first one is absolutely isolating but, in a way very eery. The way you cropped your image brings attention to light and color, which shifts the image’s tone. It feels more like an awakening rather than a mystery. The castle or building in the background comes to the foreground and gives a sense of strength because of the yellow light emanating from behind it. I also appreciate the small bush in the right-hand corner as it emphasizes the sunlight rolling in softly. I think Ross’s comment about the bush is interesting as well. Cropping the image closer to the bush’s center might also work.