Christmas Cheer

2008 Xmas

2008 Xmas

2008 Xmas

2008 Xmas

How Do You Crop?

I’ve been on a marathon cropping binge.

Misty Ottawa River at Thomas Dolan

For a couple of years now I’ve been using my computer monitors as the primary viewing vehicle for my photos. This has lead to countless hours of viewing pleasure and evaluation of the photos. My biggest criticism of my photos has been the crop or lack there of. To rectify this issue I have started to review and crop all my worthwhile photos. This job has highlighted two areas of concern. The first is proper categorizing and storage of my photos. The second is the need for excellent cropping software.

Why do I need excellent cropping software and what are the features of excellent cropping software?

First, is the ability to crop a photo without degrading the photo. This is usually referred to as loss less cropping. I don’t want to have to fire up a full blown editor to make crops. It is just too cumbersome.

Second, is the ability to constrain the crop to the aspect ratio of the monitors I am using for presentation of the photos.

Third, and probably the most important is the need to evaluate various cropping options.

I did a big search and evaluation of free software on the net and eventually found a project that seems to cut the mustard. It is not perfect but does come close. Close enough that it is useful. The only feature that I want that it does not provide is the ability to present the crop full screen and still allow adjustments.

I am interested how others have solved the cropping issue.

How Do You Consume Your Photo’s?

It seems most keen photographers rely on The Print as the holy grail for presentation of their photos. For me, I think technology has left the print in the dustbin of history.

Evan in the Mist at Barlow Crescent, Dunrobin

The road traveled to this opinion is probably worth documenting.

Way back when as a teenager in the wet darkroom the print was not the only form of photo presentation. There was the projected positive or slide but despite it’s excellence it was not a self contained entity and thus not suitable for distribution and professional sales. It seems that the path most photographers followed was in the footsteps of the professionals.

Along came computers and with them a very high quality rendering of the photograph on the computers monitor. Despite it’s excellence, the computer monitor could never be used by professionals for distribution of their work. In addition the first computer monitors were for most cases too small.

Recently the advent of cheap High Definition large flat panels has created an opportunity for a paradigm shift. This technology may not be much use for the professionals but I think it can definitely benefit the rest of us.

I have thousands of what I consider worthwhile photos. The quantity alone rules out the print as my medium of choice. It is not just because of the price of the print that moves my opinion but rather the lack of places to put the prints. This does not include the difficulty of producing prints that measure up to my own standards.

The flat panel display gives me a medium that is completely under my control and is suitable for hosting the display of my photos in a manner that allows me to enjoy the viewing. At this point, I have to throw in one little caveat, and that is software. I have not been able to find any software that meets my criteria of usefulness for rendering my photos in my home. I was however able to write my own software.

Multiple networked computers driving multiple displays through the home gives a pretty good cheap and high quality solution for enjoyment of my photos.