he is trying to communicate.
Still some of your photographs may require
additional cropping to fit the layout or to eliminate an unwanted portion of
the photograph. There will be times when the image area is not the shape
that will best communicate the feeling or idea intended.
Cropping can
sometimes focus the viewer's attention or heighten the emotional impact. In
addition, cropping is an essential element in the scaling of photographs.
b. The Cropping L's. Among the tools to aid the photographer/editor in
determining the shape, size, and cropping of a photograph are the cropping
L's. They are just that, a pair of large L's measuring 9 to 10 inches on
one leg and 11 to 12 inches on the other.
You can make them from mount
board or compressed cardboard. Commercially, plastic L's are available that
have ruler tick marks in 1/8 or 1/16 inch graduations.
In terms of cropping, the photographer/editor uses the cropping L's to
identify that portion of the photograph that should be cut away to properly
convey the essence of his theme. By laying the L's on the photograph and
moving them in or out, he can determine how the final photo will look.
When scaling a photograph, the photographer/editor uses the cropping L's to
calculate the change in size required to make a photograph fit a specific
space or layout.
c. Scaling a Photograph.
Your photographs intended for publication
will invariably be reduced or enlarged to fit a specific space. The amount
of reduction or enlargement to make a photograph fit a given space is called
"scaling."
(1) There are several methods to scale photographs. One calls for a
mathematical formula; methods use devices based on the principle of the
slide rule.
(2) The simple method is based on a common diagonal. This is based
on the geometric principle that the diagonals of rectangles of the same
proportions create identical angles with the sides.
The following
illustrations show the steps in its use.
(a) Using your cropping L's, outline the area of the photograph
you wish to use (A). Then draw a diagonal line (B) bisecting the cropped
portion of photo.
(b) Determine the width you wish the finished picture to be (i.e.,
one column, two columns, or a given number of picas).
Draw a line (C)
perpendicular to the left side of the cropped area, the desired width to the
diagonal. Line (D) is the depth of the cut. Refer to figure 1-14.
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