Cropping & Blurring.

Q: 1) CROPPING: WITH EDITORIAL/COMMERCIAL WORK YOU LEAVE A LOOSE CROP AND LET THE END USER CROP TO FIT. BUT, YOU DO CROP SOME THINGS (PORTFOLIO, ETC). HOW DO YOU DECIDE THE ASPECT RATIO? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON NON-STANDARD CROPS (PROBABLY APPLIES MORE TO ART PRINTS)? 2) FOCUS/BLUR: I FEEL LIKE THERE’S A PUSH FOR “TACK SHARP” IMAGES BUT THAT BLUR CAN CONVEY MOTION. SOME OF THE PHOTOS ON YOUR WEB SITE ARE BLURRED/OUT OF FOCUS BUT I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE THOUGHTS BEHIND SOME OF THEM?

A: Regarding your first question, I’m keen to stick to known aspect ratios when cropping my own work. For my printed portfolio book, I keep to the 11x14 size that it is or I’ll print within its borders, but nothing non-standard.

As for your second question, sometimes an image has a sense of motion to it or conveys an emotion that is best suited to not be technically perfect. Some of those are just mistakes that worked, and some of them I intentionally blew focus on. Sometimes I do it because I’m just bored with always being “technical” with my work. I love the work of Paulo Roversi. His images are often “blown” technically, but they work. They are beautiful. Can’t always explain it; it just feels right. When you step out of “technically correct” photography, it has to work or it doesn’t work at all. It’s also highly subjective. There are the “rules,” and then there’s “breaking the rules,” but there isn’t a rule for breaking the rules.

I am finding myself drawn more and more to imperfect photos. I shake my camera during longer shutter speeds. I rack focus during exposure. I underexpose. I’m trying to get out of the very technical mindset I usually have. If you are the type who doesn’t get technical, then maybe you need to go in that direction to push yourself.