[Wall-E]

Here's a thought - anyone any ideas about cropping pics...can you make a good one from a poor one...should you crop or get it right first time?

The list could go on, but I'd welcome any opinions (I usually crop 'cause I'm not good enuff to get it right first time)

Cropping is not an inherently bad thing.

The 'normal' aspect ratio on current digital cameras is 2x3.
This works fine IF you want a print of that aspect ratio (like a 4x6).
But, what happens when you want/need an 8x10 or 5x7?
What if you want to change from Portrait to Landscape orientation?
All of the above require cropping.

I always shoot with a little 'wiggle' room so I CAN do the above.
I shoot high school commencements. I only get the ONE shot, and have to make both 4x6's AND 8x10's of that image. If I composed real close in-camera, then I'd never get what I need for the sale

Unless you're doing still-life's, then I think that cropping WILL be necessary, and part of the creative process. Ansel Adams cropped, sometimes heavily, to match his vision. I've sometimes tried 3 different crops to find the composition that I find most pleasing.

Just remember, that when you crop, you are throwing away some of the information you collected when you tripped the shutter. And even straightening an image is actually cropping on an angle.