Photo cropping basics

There are many reasons to crop a photo. Maybe you've inherited a photo that's too large or requires zooming in on a face or object. Or perhaps you want to create a stronger focal point for a picture, add drama, or remove distracting background images. Remember, you can use scissors to cut out parts of a picture you don't want, but you'll end up with a smaller picture. There are better ways to create a new frame within the context of the original shot.

Using a digital camera gives you the freedom to crop before you click the shutter and then try again if you need to re-shoot. But don't worry if it's not perfect. After you've taken the picture, you can still adjust it with digital-imaging software.