-
Michelle
Just a Little Glimpse – The Art of Cropping
Yesterday was one of those quiet little gifts of a day. My eldest went off to her first football match with her dad — full of excitement and team spirit — while I took my youngest down to the beach for a bit of calm. It was just the two of us, the soft sound of the waves, and that wide open sky.
She’s a little explorer, just like I was (and to be honest, still am). She spent ages sifting through stones and shells, picking up every one that caught her eye. Then she found this small stone with a hole right through it. That’s when her imagination lit up.
We’d just paid to look through one of those seaside telescopes so we could spy on the big ships far out on the water. So when she held up the holey stone, she pretended she could see through it like a telescope too. It was magic — simple, pure childhood magic. And it really made me think.
We often forget to look closer, don’t we? To narrow in and focus on one little part of a much bigger view. That’s something I often teach when it comes to using photos for painting — especially how cropping can help us find something more interesting or more powerful in a scene.
So I thought I’d show you a few photos from the same moment at the beach. It’s the same place, same weather, same time — but just look how different each one feels.
Original Photo
Let the Cropping Begin….
The Wide Seascape
This one’s a long, wide view — really classic. I’ve placed the horizon using the rule of thirds, pushing it up so you get more sea than sky. It helps draw the eye across and gives that sense of calm distance. I’ve made sure the pier leads your eye in from the left, creating a path to follow. It’s simple, strong, and balanced.
The Moody Sky
In this one, I’ve kept it wide but allowed more sky to take over. Those moody clouds were just so dramatic. It changes the feeling entirely — suddenly it’s not about the water so much as the weather, and the light shifting. I’m not sure it’s as strong as the first, but it’s got atmosphere.
The Square Crop
Square formats are really popular these days. I often work with square formats. This one pulls in tighter. You still get the pier and the gentle lapping water, but it feels a bit more contained. It doesn’t give as much space to breathe. It’s neat and balanced, but maybe not as emotionally strong.
The Sea Portrait
Now this one feels completely different. I’ve gone tall, and suddenly it’s all about the height of the clouds and the depth of the water. You can feel the pull upwards. The boat sits like a little moment in all that vastness. I love how the portrait crop gives the photo a sense of looking up and beyond.
The Circle View
And finally — this one was inspired by my daughter and that lovely little stone. I played around with a circular crop and it felt just like peering through a telescope, or even a window. It’s fun how changing the shape can make you feel like you’re looking into another world. You almost want to lean in and see what’s just beyond the edge.
A Little Creative Tip for You….
Next time you take a photo — try cropping it in different ways. Zoom in on a detail, or try a square, or a long thin strip. Even experiment with a circle if you’re feeling playful. Cropping helps you focus, helps you decide what you want your viewer to really notice. It’s a brilliant way for us artists to experiement — especially if you’re planning to turn a photo into a painting.
It’s not always about the full picture — sometimes it’s just about that little bit you really connect with.
Let me know know in the comments if you found this helpful or it’s something you already do or perhaps would like to try in your own work.
14 thoughts on “Just a Little Glimpse – The Art of Cropping”
I liked the circle one the most.
Just a note I would adjust the picture horizontally, l know it wasn’t the point, just be an eyesore …Thank you for the info, you are great. l do not want to be negative, you can delate my note from the comments:-)
Sylvia there is nothing negative about your comment, we all have different opinions and art is subjective so I’m pleased you were able to share your views. Yes you could say it’s an eyesore, it could always been seen as an interesting contrast or as you said it could be shifted horizontally and this would create a more calm and peaceful view. That’s the beauty of cropping – it gives you a lot more options : )
I like the circular arrangement the most, I feel like it will highlight the surface of the rippling sea the most. I envy the opportunity to go to the beach in the afternoon, unfortunately we don’t have a sea in my country. I was born under the sign of Pisces and I love the sea.
I agree it really does. Aww that’s a shame, hopefully you have lots of other wonderful places you can visit.
I really learned from this! I am new to this type of painting and I love the way you teach. I’m such a visual learner and I also tried to teach visual to my nursing students. Thank you for taking the time to crop the pictures and then comment. I think you are pretty awesome.
Aww thank you Brenda, you are very kind. I too think visuals really help especially as artists. I’m glad this is helpful.
This was very helpful, Michelle! Thanks for reminding us about our artistic license to enhance a photo reference! I am looking forward to trying various cropping scenarios in the future.
That’s great Dan. I’m glad this is helpful : )
Great little exercise Michelle. It really has given me food for thought and it’s something I will try out myself to see what I come up with.
Thank you.
Amazing Rita. I look forward to seeing what you create : )
A lovely reminder to look up, around and down and that the shapes are not all inside the picture but around it and framing it. I love this.
It’s very true Bernie. I’m glad you enjoyed this : )
Love this Michelle. It’s easy to forget that we don’t have to stick with the same picture we took.
Thanks Helen. Yes it’s so true and it’s great to play around with different compositions as well.