When cropping people the general rule is to try to avoid cropping hands, feet and joints. When you crop at those points the image looks unfinished or haphazard, so try to crop between the joints. Here is a run down of cutting up bodies that would have Hannibal salivating.

crop 3a

cropping feet = big no no

crop6

cropping between feet and knees looks more deliberate and acceptable

crop 5

cropping between knees and hips is usually ok too, but notice in this example that the shorts and the lines on the socks create visual tension with the frame. Not the best crop.

crop 4

cropping the hand is usually another no-no

crop12

cutting off the entire hand but leaving the other intact is mo’ better

crop3c

If you need to crop the elbow… less is not better… feels like an accident

crop3b

cropping between the hand and elbow feels better… for the viewer 😀

crop13

cropping above the hand but missing the elbow is workable

crop 1

Above the elbow below the neck feels comfortable to the eyes

crop3r

The one exception is the shoulders… you need to leave something for the head to rest on, otherwise it can look a little creepy with just a neck and head.

So try to be aware of where you are going to crop body parts so that you can avoid unnecessary tension… and happy cutting!

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