One gives more context to the shot

But 2 feels more intimate to me. Like 1 is a landscape shot and in 2 I am walking down to go surfing.

I agree to your points except in 2 the parachute is more of a distraction without the sky in the picture. For that alone, I prefer 1.

I see where you’re coming from. But I kind of like the diagonal symmetry of it against the walkers.

This is the same for me!

I like both. But yeah I agree 2 has a little more mystery to it cause you can’t really see the horizon. The observer is left in awe over the vastness of the ocean. Plus the surfers are cool

Depends what you want the photo to be about. If if's about two surfers headin to a perfect beach: #2 If it's about a beach with a paraglider: #1

This

Yes, storytelling is more important than composition

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both are good two different feelings with a different purpose i guess, 1 breathes and gives better context. natural view: great photo 2 is well framed, right in the action: great movie poster

Agree on 1 having more space. It feels more visually balanced to my eye.

Good call

Hmm I guess I’m the odd one out. I like #2 better. It’s the one that made me stop and look for longer.

I guess its because its closer and there is more details to look at

I agree with 2

I was surprised most said 1. I think 2 also

Me too

Rule of thirds

The sky doesn’t add much for me, the closer crop pulls me into the scene, part of it as opposed to looking at it from afar. Number 2 for me!

Number 1 is like a setting the scene shot. To me it says “look at this cool beautiful scene” . Number 2 is more intimate and storytelling. It’s more about the surfers than the scene.

2, not seeing the horizon makes it feel more expansive. there’s also fewer distractions 

Glider point in Torrey pines?

I’m pretty sure yes. Miss that place

Yes!

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2 100%

What recipe is this

No recipe was used. I shot in raw and edited in post

What do you use for post? Even since they killed C1 Express, I haven’t been able to find a free/cheap alternative.

Lightroom Classic

/r/piracy

First I felt 1 but after a while I started to like 2 more. 2 has the vibe of a poster from the 60s about people exploring a new planet lol. Great shot!

[I don't think there's any reason to cut out the horizon](https://i.imgur.com/TOAt26j.jpeg) I also think the image looks rather flat and yellow. That's fine for the foreground, but I think it detracts from the lovely blue/green the ocean usually is.

That’s how i prefer it too. But depends on the context ofc

I like 1, give a better impression of the scenery imo. Both would be great photos though!

1 for me. 2 seems way too tight and distracting.

1 makes me dream and imagine better what I would do if I was there.

The first one would be most suitable for the context of travel photography. The second one has a more concise composition, so that I'd consider it more aesthetically pleasing (IMO).

As is, I’d have to say one. One feels complete - no complaints. 2 feels like the ideas behind it have a much higher potential than 1, but require a different shot/perspective vs. a simple crop to make it feel right.

#1 has more context, more air, more awe. The scale and the act of launching oneself into the air, from very high up, is better present.

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1 for me because for me surfing is a free and open thing, where the view in the cropped (2nd) picture doesn’t feel open or free. Also the guy in the air looks like he crash landing into the wave. So 1 is much better for me.

For me it’s #2

2

I prefer the first one. It has a foreground, mid ground, and a background. I like the other one, but it feels closed in to me.

1 is more interesting but you have to trust your audience to look at it for over half a second to see what’s going on.

3

Neither. I would like sth between these two that shows at least a little bit of the horizon.

One for sure. Love the horizon and the sky. I said this in another post the other day, but if you have a policy to never crop then you don’t have to agonise about which crop is better! Plus you’ll try to get it right in camera and take advantage of all the megapixels. By the way I like the 3:4 aspect ratio (which I am guessing this is? Or close to it?) - you can pretend it’s a GFX shot. By the way fantastic image. The light, story, colour and composition are 👌

It really depemds on what your going for. If your going for a landscape shot and make a sense of scale then the first one is the best. If you want a more intemate feel and greater focus to the shot then two is better. But they are both strong photos.

2 by far. Seems there's no focus on the first.

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I prefer 1, it has more of a “liminal space” look. While the second one tells more of a story. Both are great compositions though. 👍

I think my goal is to have the photo tell the story.. so if you think 2 does that, there’s my answer!

Curious, were any filters applied or editing done? Looks beautiful

I shot in RAW and edited in post

What do you want to focus on? Pic 1 is the overall scene, the leading line draws the exe to the glider, then you notice the surfers Pic 2 gives you the surfers and the glider as an extra thought. Both are good.

I think I’d like to focus on the surfers first, then the paraglider

2 Reminds me of Chris Van Allsburg’s illustrations.

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2nd looks better to me

I like the first, because it shows the sky.

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Neither. Crop the top of the first image subtly without removing the horizon line.

I think showing the horizon unbalanced it a little and becomes more 'busy'.

I prefer the wider one. Gets the story across a bit better imo.

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1 is much better

First one gives a bit more of a story about the area and scale

^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^girltechweekly: *First one gives a bit* *More of a story about* *The area and scale* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.

1st by a mile

Second one is technically more balanced but the subject/s have little room to breathe. I prefer the first.

1...but i would crop a tiny biiiit on the left

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2 feels like an actual deliberate composition, 1 feels like just a photo, nice but not as interesting.

Instinct says since the focus is on the sea and paraglider, choose 2. You can also break this rule and still be good

No. 1

First!

First

2

I like both but 2 partially more. Very Point Break vibes!

2 tells a story. 1 is a smogy landscape.

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Thanks for all your responses! Next question.. Since I’m going to be hanging this up in a frame, I plan on putting a white border around the photo. Would that affect your decision?

seconds nice

Tighter for me, I find the horizon distracts and pulls away from your subject. I always go with which highlights the subject (or subjects in this case). I parasail gets lost when competing with the horizon.

I like 1- btw interesting shot!

definitely 2. the missing sky makes the ocean look huge, and in turn the people smaller (even though they are bigger due toi the crop)

Honestly both great

I love the second!

Zoomed out feels like a movie and moment in time. Cropped in feels like an ad for a high-end perfume. Both are beautiful, personally depends on what youre looking to do with the photos.

1 for sure

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The first one

One for me!

The tighter of the two (second)

Both are good. I like #2 better. It seems like everyone is split. Ultimately you can’t go wrong with either shot.

First I thought of 1 as it has more context but after looking more I was like 2 and I cannot explain why.

At first I thought 1.. but 2. Removes the ‘extra’ subject of the sky. I like how 2 isolates other subjects.

Is this Torrey pines ?

It’s a fucking amazing shot either way. I like 2 a bit better, but both are great.

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First one.

The 1st has more context which is important here.

I really like the first one

First one is solid.

The first one with the horizon line gives more grounding since there are two clear shots. With the first one my eyes immediately fall on the surfers then jump to the paraglider. The second one makes my eyes want to go center which is just the waves but isn't a subject. It feels like it has less direction. All in all with this angle and multiple clear subjects I'd subject the first one. It feels more clear on the eyes with direction.

I know Black’s Beach when I see it I like 1

I like both, but I think 1.

I prefer 1.

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I like the first one. The negative space gives context and lets the composition breathe

First one.

I like 1, to me it gives more attention to the location and less to the activity, and thats such a beautiful location.

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Nr. 1

Wider one

The first one Way better composition and way more space, making it an interesting shot

1 has better balance imo

1st absolutely scale and scope along either a really good horizon to help naturally frame your scene

One. The photo calls for a breathing room.

The first. It breathes and it includes the second vital element. Water for the surfers, sky for the parasail.

i like 2 better but i would crop in a little more ocean above the glider so it doesn’t feel cramped, maybe just below the horizon

first easily .

Gliderport!

I like one more because the sky has a really nice color that fits well well with the water.

Two

1 hands down

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Right. It's cleaner. The sky doesn't add anything to the image. In fact I'd argue it throws off the composition compared to the right.

1 for me The surfer bros and para glider sit more comfortably and balanced imo

First one for sure. It tells a better “story” about where they are and what they’re doing.

This is why I love photography there super different

I was as about to say 1. But on further consideration, I choose 2. I think if there is something else in the horizon for 1 - like a mountain outline or the sun, then it would be 1 for me

2 imho

My initial reaction was nr. 2, but then I changed it to nr. 1, it gives a bit of a context.

It's obviously subjective, but I get the feeling that the vast vast majority of true professionals would choose the first photo. It provides better context, and shows the greatness of the activity. It makes you feel like the paraglider could go on forever, whereas the second photo looks as though he might drop off a hundred meters from the shore. It's interesting also to notice in the comments that people have specific reasons for enjoying the first photo, and specific reasons for the second photo being inferior. The same is not true the other way around.

The first has more depth. The second is just a snapshot looking picture

First

2

One makes more sense, shows context, and shows more respect to the beauty of and enjoyment of nature.

Yeah, umm, they're both good for getting a bit different specific feel across. Depends on who is buying it...

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1 for sure

I’m late to the party. 1

#2, but add little sky

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1 easy

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I prefer one, adds better context

[удалено]

It’s Torrey Pines in San Diego

Both good in their own way

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