Proper Crop Props

Mario's right, (Beardy too) there's too much negativity. I've been busting Topps' chops over some lackluster photos that could use a bit of editing while ignoring the fact that this year's product has the best photography the flagship has had in years. To make amends and accentuate the positive, I offer to you 10 cards out of a jumbo pack I just purchased less than an hour ago (well, now about two hours since it took me a while to write and scan) because I was looking through the card aisle and accidentally broke the tab at the top of the pack that keeps it on the rack. I had to buy it, it was the only honorable thing to do at that point. I was rewarded.

Closely Cropped

Just like Walter Sobchak's noggin.

Nelson Cruz

Did he beat the tag?!?

Brian Duensing

The glare from the pitcher as a fastball comes straight at you.

Joe Girardi

The skipper cheering on the troops.

Medium Crop

You don't need an extreme closeup when there is additional context available.

Victor Martinez

Candidate for card of the year. Why? The hand reaching out to catch the ball VMart is tossing into the stands.

Alfredo Aceves

Great use of the horizontal layout with the high leg kick.

Jacoby Ellsbury

An unconventional shot of the bench but hey, that's why it works.

19th Century Smut

AKA: Ankle showing. You get to see EVERYTHING.

Pitch

Now, if you crop this one tight, it's just a guy straining during a follow through.

Hit

You can never have enough of Howard connecting.

Field

Oddly enough, I just sent this card to Andy of Traded Sets this morning. I'll probably send this one to Canuck.

By the way, check out the contest at Traded Sets. Mind bending!

Run

Chris Young takes a long lead with Tulo shadowing him to the left and Barmes holding at second. At least I think that's who those Rockies are.

And Finally: The Most Perfectest

Sometimes that little tab at the top breaks for a reason.

Cropping Topps

Topps has done a vastly better job on their photos this year after a few years of really bland photography. However, my annoyance with some of the photo choices by Topps has reached full blown obsession so I did what any real man would do and took matters into my own hands. Gentlemen, it's time to open up... MSPAINT.

Original Topps Series Two Jason Kendall card:

Now that same card cropped and horizontal'd

Even with the mess I made with the background on the left side, which is the better looking card? Are his shin guards really that interesting? Ok, here's another one:

2009 Topps Series Two Adam Wainwright

Cropped a little

Cropped a lot:

I don't know about you, but I'd rather see these guys' faces instead of their ankles. I'm not a professional photo editor and I hacked these up using stretch, cut and paste in MSPaint. The cropped cards seem to be better looking to me at least. This might be in part becauseI grew up on Topps cars from the '60s, '70s and '80s where close ups were the norm, not the exception. What do you guys think? Do they look better or should I not quit my day job? (Oh wait...) Let me know thumbs up or down in the comments and let me know if you can do a better job with your own custom crops.