In my dream, I am looking at a painting that I made of myself. It shows me from several inches below my shoulders to well over my head. Personally, I think it's a very good likeness.
I have decided that, while the painting certainly looks like me -- in a very positive way -- that it would benefit if I "cropped" it. That is, cut down the extraneous parts at the top and (possibly) bottom of the image. (Interestingly, side-top-side looks okay and might have benefitted if I had painted a bit more on the sides.) I think it's the case that, if I crop too much, I won't be able to restore the part(s) I removed.
Since I can't decide how much needs to be cropped, so I ask the opinion of folks standing nearby. I know most if not all of them, and trust their judgment on what would look best. Much to my surprise and disappointment, no one wants to suggest anything. And I don't hear any enthusiasm from anyone about the quality of the likeness.
Some of them point out that there's a lot of blue sky above my head in the painting -- probably too much -- and this could/should be reduced. Cut off. But no one is ready to say "So, cut it down to right here" and point to a specific spot on the image.
At least one friend looks at the painting and tells me that it doesn't look like me at all. When I ask him "Why not?" and "What would you suggest I change?" he simply waves his hands at the painting and mutters something incoherently. Then turns and walks away.
So I'm left in this quandry: I like the image very much, but know that something in the painting should be changed to make it even better. And that the basic image of me is a good one and reflects well on me -- even if the folks around me don't agree. So do I change/crop the image and possibly get it wrong and spoil the validity of the image that I see or do I look for someone who would be willing to make a firm suggestion that I could either accept and implement OR simply thank that person and continue looking for someone else?
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