Like many before me, my search for a photo started by wading through collections of stock photos to find one that I believed could be a proper use of the cropping tool and one that tells a compelling story. I decided to get a bit personal with this submission by using it to highlight the highs and lows of being an individual who struggles with their mental health; specifically, an individual who struggles with a “Cluster B” personality disorder. I wanted to take an image that could tell two different stories and figured that by starting with the crop and then showing the full image it would lend itself better to the story that I was trying to tell.
From this image, we see that the man is distraught. He is overcome by negative emotions and is trying to collect himself. He is at the “low stage.”
But when the crop is removed, we see that the man is joined by a friend. One who is celebrating. Now we have the full picture and the full story: While one friend is celebrating a win, the other friend is distraught. Now how does this relate to mental health? For many of us, a team losing a game would not cause us to become this distraught, but what about what’s lurking beneath the surface? For those of us who suffer from “Cluster B” personality disorders, we are used to being told that we “make mountains out of molehills.” That our reactions to seemingly low-stakes situations aren’t normal, neglecting the fact that we often cannot control our reactions to these situations. That our “splitting” is a result of poorly managed distress and our attempts to self-soothe when faced with that distress.
Hi Jo, I truly understand what you mean. In my life, there have been many moments where my friends are joyfully celebrating something, and I’m off to the side, feeling gloomy with my own thoughts. If those moments were captured, I imagine they would look much like the photo you found. Your photo comparison shows how the cropped image transitions from a contrast of emotions between two people to focusing on one person’s distress and breakdown. Undoubtedly, you’ve successfully told two stories and conveyed distinct meanings. I think you did a great job, but if possible, leaving a bit more space above the person’s head in the crop, and positioning the eyes and hands along the rule of thirds, would allow the viewer’s gaze to focus more on the face! As for another cropping method, it would undoubtedly involve leaving the joyful person in the frame, turning the scene into a solo celebration!
Hey Jo! The image you chose really puts things into perspective. I think a lot of us can relate to the person that’s upset in the photo. We are all dealing with something others can’t see. The cropped version of the image and the uncropped version definitely tell two different stories. If I had to suggest cropping advice, I would crop a little higher above the guy’s head. It would have given just a bit of extra negative space. Excellent job!
Hi Jo! Thank you for sharing this, I love the approach you took here. The stark comparison between the two photos and the reactions of the two men is very poignant and absolutely conveys the message you were aiming for. This is a great reminder for us all to be more mindful of the feelings of others and to support our friends when they are down. A little effort can go a long way in these situations! I agree with what the others said about leaving negative space above the sad man’s head, though I can see that might be difficult with his buddy’s arm is right above him. Fantastic work!