![Black Helicopter With Cranes 1 - Daniel South Photography a photo of a black helicopter taking off in new york city](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmf7NlxP_tJeW1hWlC650pbV3e7HLH4aTp6HUnoleB_SfdSnMapxlxTmQP2zbyoVUeyCjSi3pIAhH5_5kAXZxnkzUcfefVz7wPTEPnKHQGlNK14gh4ubLaBvhooaK7ajZ5QbrAlZr5lw/s2048/Daniel-South-New-York-Misc-35066-Black-Helicopter-Cranes-LH-140-1-2048.jpg) |
Black Helicopter With Cranes |
The original photo looked like this. Even at a long telephoto setting of 400 millimeters, this was as much of the helicopter as I could capture. I was working to frame it against the backdrop that included the colorful cranes and shipping containers.
![Black Helicopter With Cranes 2 - Daniel South Photography a photo of a black helicopter taking off over new york east river](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhDvHZTNekYFkVf8nTfzmuenTCMrStJD1QBwWo34sduNsBg3tt1I-F3EySgd6PZqdyI7SuEmgm5iEhsvBhBtVrKacKDaoimBuQSUn-K5LNzsNv8AgKAMeoSgo75n7wB5EQAiMOPbTYh0/s2048/Daniel-South-New-York-Misc-35066-Black-Helicopter-Cranes-LH-140-2-2048.jpg) |
Image as Captured at 400 mm |
You can see how tightly I cropped the photo to produce the first image, and yet it still has eye-popping detail.
Speaking of options, here is a vertical crop of the helicopter with the cranes.
![Black Helicopter With Cranes 3 - Daniel South Photography a photo of a black helicopter flying over new york city](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1vvFN8twT3JspUkzkTmTfiq-Iq_zwXWe636H58LasLXiywHdZWQ0uXePpHxDBxrGutIS8UQdrDmKCUYhCmQQQR-1FkzGqYJfqfETpCWbZJX8XCYKQDMGzEBF5Y508oY8SurwGc9Oa_M/s2048/Daniel-South-New-York-Misc-35066-Black-Helicopter-Cranes-LH-140-3-2048.jpg) |
Vertical Crop Highlighting The Helicopter And The Cranes |
Which of the three images is your favorite? I have to confess that I like all of three of them. Each one tells a different part of what was happening in that instant. This is why it's great to have options. Through creative cropping, we can create different perspectives from a single image.
It's important to compose well and to capture details accurately, but it's helpful to abandon the notion that there is one and only one correct way to capture a photograph. Cropping is not a crutch for salvaging a failed photograph. The middle photo above is not a mistake. It's not poorly composed. But within that image, I found two addition crops, each of which I found to be just as compelling as the middle one.
Keep in mind that the middle image pushed my lens, which is a rather powerful lens, to its limits. Cropping and a clean, high-resolution capture extended the capabilities of my gear. And even if a had a super long lens that could have produced the tighter crops, the helicopter would have moved to a different position before I could have used it.
Shoot in a way that provides as many options as possible. You'll thank yourself later.
Camera: Sony a7R III
Lens: Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS
Light happens. Be ready. Shoot hard.
Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South
http://www.dansouthphoto.com
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