Wanted: Lightroom crop statistics plugin

[Augi]

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Hi folks,

 

I have a M9 + 35mm combo. And like many others, I use Adobe Lightroom to post process my photos. Often, I use the cropping function.

 

Now I'm planning towards buying a second lens. And I had this idea: Why don't I look at my history of cropping in Lightroom to determine which other angles are my favorites, so that I can find out which lens to buy next?

 

Now, I've got thousands of cropped photos. Which makes it quite time-consuming to go through each photo by hand, calculate the lens focal length I might have used instead of cropping, then doing a statistic tally to see my favorite angles. So why not doing this automatically?

 

I've heard that Lightroom has a plugin mechanism. So there could be a plugin that does this automatically. Does anybody know of such an already existing plugin? Or know of a developer who might be interested in creating one?

 

Thanks!

Edited April 7, 2012 by Augi

[jaapv]

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[StephenPatterson]

Augi, I understand what you are asking for, however I do not think it would be a useful tool for the majority of Lightroom users. I try to crop as little as possible, as I paid good money for a full frame sensor and I don't want to waste it!!!

 

The majority of my images are shot with a 35mm lens. I also have a 50 and a 90, and I will use them when the situation dictates, but I try not to constantly change lenses as it throws me off my rhythm. When I have my 35 lux mounted I look for 35 sized compositions, and if a location is telling me that another focal length would be better, then I change.

 

You mention that you're using an M9 + 35mm lens combo and that you "have thousands of cropped photos". It seems obvious then that you are wanting something longer, the only question is how much longer. Instead of spending enormous time, effort and or money trying to get at a statistically meaningful crop percentage figure I would imagine you could just take a random selection of your favorite images (however you grade in LR), say 50 or so, and arrive at a reasonably idea of how much you crop the 35 and what your next focal length should be.

 

Or you could just skip all that and arrive at the inevitable conclusion to buy a 50 Summilux ASPH.

 

Good luck

[Augi]

Hi Stephen,

 

thanks for your valuable answer! You said

if a location is telling me that another focal length would be better, then I change.

 

Can you elaborate on that? How does a location tell you what focal lenght to use?

 

Thanks!

[StephenPatterson]

Augi, this is a very subjective area of photography, but I can give you some broad outlines. With my photography I try to have a goal, and not just shoot randomly. For instance I might be in Hong Kong on the Kowloon side, where the crowds are thick and the streets narrow, and want to shoot street. In this case I might start out with the 21SEM, as I can be right in the middle of a subject or group and still get the shot. If I were in Central, or even a park with more space, then the 35 Summilux FLE or 50 Summilux ASPH would be my choice, as it gives me a bit more reach and a more pleasing focal length for people (less distortion). I might shoot this way all morning, and then switch to something like the 90 Elmarit-M and work on capturing what I call "detail shots", that is the little things that make a place unique. In Hong Kong this might be the ducks hanging in a shop window or the wonderful street signs that are everywhere. In this way I try to get a range of shots showing different perspectives on a location or event.

 

I like to go out with a 3 lens setup, and I am not opposed to changing lenses on the fly, but I try to keep it to a minimum. I typically shoot with 21-35-50, but I have an 18SEM for those ultra wide (i.e. breathtaking landscapes and architecture) sort of shots, and the 90 Elmarit-M, as I mentioned, is wonderful for portraits and extreme isolation. These two lenses are my "designated hitters" and only come into a game for special circumstances. Sorry for the baseball analogy, it's the season you know.

 

Good luck and I know whatever you decide it will help you and your vision.

 

Cheers,

[swamiji]

I pretty much agree with what Seafurydriver says. However I do in a slightly different manor. I have two kits depending on the environment I am shooting. My wide kit is a 18/35/75 or my normal kit is a 24/50/90. I like to double the focal length between lenses.

 

I mostly shoot with either the 35 or 50, but change as the environment changes.

 

Each Photographer who uses exclusively prime lenses has their own way to select lenses.

[jaapv]

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Hi Stephen,

 

thanks for your valuable answer! You said

 

 

Can you elaborate on that? How does a location tell you what focal lenght to use?

 

Thanks!

 

Well,you would not normally use a long tele indoors for instance.

The choice of a lens is not really a matter of analyzing your cropping habits. If well chosen a new lens will open up new creative possibilities, enriching your photography. The thing to do is to analyze what direction you want to take and choose accordingly, not stay in the old rut. So don’t look at the past, look ahead. If you only get a focal length to improve your cropping ability you will end up taking the same photographs over and over.

[algrove]

Well,you would not normally use a long tele indoors for instance.

The choice of a lens is not really a matter of analyzing your cropping habits. If well chosen a new lens will open up new creative possibilities, enriching your photography. The thing to do is to analyze what direction you want to take and choose accordingly, not stay in the old rut. So don’t look at the past, look ahead. If you only get a focal length to improve your cropping ability you will end up taking the same photographs over and over.

 

Very well put. As with all of the above answers, you have all hit home runs with the bases loaded. I have nothing additional to add.