Howard 500
captured by D5 / 24-70VR
Just like with big game, where to crop into an aircraft is a very common question. Just like big game, there is no guide where to crop on an aircraft. My usual response to the question, “Where to crop on big game” is so it doesn’t feel awkward or look like a dead animal nailed to a wall. That response doesn’t work for aircraft though. So what is the answer? I don’t know if there is a correct answer, this is just what I think about in my mind when cropping into an aircraft.
Howard 500
captured by D5 / 105f1.4
I look for the symmetry of the lines first of all. Unlike big game, an aircraft basically is the same shape, length, and design on the left side and it is on the right (yes there are some exceptions). This symmetry permits you to cut into one-half as long as you keep a symmetry in the remaining lines. Whether you show both sides like in the top frame or a section like in the bottom frame. Now cutting a plane exactly in the middle of the fuselage lengthwise never works, at least for me. The one big variable in this that you must take into consideration is the light. Highlights and shadows play a huge part in your success as they expose or hide details essential in making the symmetry work. Often when I crop into an aircraft I use side or backlight and very little front light. There are many, many possibilities but this is my personal starting point when I wonder where do you cut in.