# Red Rock Blues **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** landscape\ **Created:** [December 14, 2021, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-rock-blues/26015 "2021-12-14T20:37:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Liz\_Enslin](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/liz_enslin/32/38694_2.png) [@Liz\_Enslin](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Liz_Enslin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2021, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-rock-blues/26015/1 "2021-12-14T20:37:02Z")
![Red Rock Blues](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/a/2/a21325c9b26cb702163a5f60ec7dcb5208ccc5fd.jpeg) I took this photo while on a streamside trail through a narrow canyon near Sedona, Arizona. It’s easy there to be carried away by all the red in the rocks, so these blue and gray mineral/water stains (at least that’s what I think they are) caught my eye. ### Specific Feedback Requested I’m trying to decide how to crop this particular shot and would like some feedback on a few different options below. I’ve also posted the original for comparison. The cropping above keeps the focus on the blue/gray stripes and excludes some distracting details. I’m particularly interested in a semi-abstract composition that emphasizes colors and lines. ### Technical Details Is this a composite: No I’ve done some very minor post-processing (exposure, contrast, color) on the cropped shots. **Cropping Option #2** This includes a red vertical stripe on the left but also means including a large crack in the bottom left. Is that crack too distracting? ![PC012046 (1)](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/6/5/655b83b96cda357e0926ebcbac4e06451e52b47f.jpeg) **Cropping Option #3** This is an even wider view with a few more stripes and more rock details. ![PC012046 (2)](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/e/9/e99e99b8293f88b4ca3e87c2917e4526e6e28220.jpeg) **This is the original shot.** If you see another way to crop it, I’d love to know. ![PC012046 (3)](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/6/4/645e7892bf223dc8c242c40a4788fe84b27f8a09.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Jon\_Norris](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jon_norris/32/81061_2.png) [@Jon\_Norris](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jon_Norris)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2021, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-rock-blues/26015/2 "2021-12-14T21:12:01Z")
Hi @Liz_Enslin … I like your first crop (the square one) for a few reasons: 1) I like that it only contains the blue shapes/streaks in the rocks … which creates a nice repeating pattern, 2) I like that the longer (top to bottom) blue streak is on the LH vertical third line and that creates a nice balance to the image, 3) I like the repeating curved features in the brown rock that stretch from BL to TR … which isn’t as apparent in the original image or other crops. A lovely image 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Harley\_Goldman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/harley_goldman/32/213_2.png) [@Harley\_Goldman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Harley_Goldman)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2021, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-rock-blues/26015/3 "2021-12-14T22:36:17Z")
Put me down for option #3. I like the various detail it includes in the wider look. I would be tempted to add contrast, deepening the darks and popping the color more, all personal taste items. Nicely seen and executed. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Lowe](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/e36b37/32.png) [@Ed\_Lowe](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ed_Lowe)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 3:09am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-rock-blues/26015/4 "2021-12-15T03:09:24Z")
Option #3 for me Liz, for the same reasons @Harley_Goldman already mentioned. Very unusual markings for sure; I can see why you were attracted to them. ---
**Author:** ![Liz\_Enslin](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/liz_enslin/32/38694_2.png) [@Liz\_Enslin](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Liz_Enslin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 2:22pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-rock-blues/26015/5 "2021-12-15T14:22:43Z")
Thank you @Jon_Norris for articulating the appeal of the first crop. This one is growing on me for precisely the reasons you detail; I just wasn’t able to explain it to myself. Thank you @Harley_Goldman and @Ed_Lowe for weighing on on why you prefer option #3. I also like this one and find it helpful to understand what others see there. ---
**Author:** ![Igor\_Doncov](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/igor_doncov/32/579_2.png) [@Igor\_Doncov](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Igor_Doncov)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 9:24am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-rock-blues/26015/6 "2021-12-19T09:24:14Z")
I find this to be excellent. Put me down for #1 which stands above the others as a composition. I’m looking at it as a design of black lines across a pattern of colored shapes and that looks best in number 1 to me. I also like the faded colors you have chosen to use for the background here. ---
**Author:** ![Liz\_Enslin](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/liz_enslin/32/38694_2.png) [@Liz\_Enslin](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Liz_Enslin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-rock-blues/26015/7 "2021-12-19T23:27:48Z")
Thanks @Igor_Doncov. I find it very helpful to ponder how you’re looking at it. Focusing on the black lines across the colored shapes really does shift how I might think about cropping the image.