Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi David, Ask your teacher to explain the relative qualities othe of the 1:1.5 ratio (which is 35mm camera ratio or 2:3) and golden mean, which is a ratio of 1:1.618. He probably has a very good reason for requiring you to compose within the 2:3 frame.......... maybe something to do with discipline, so don't be a smart arse. ;-) The golden mean is supposed to be the most pleasing proportions for a rectangle, as stated in much better style than I am capable of, in the following passage. “In modern times there has been much interest in the Golden Proportion, Section or Mean. Since the Renaissance it has been used extensively in art and architecture, it figures in the Venetian Church of St. Mark built early in the 16th century, and has become a standard proportion for width in relation to height as used in facades of buildings, in window sizing, in first story to second story proportion, at times in the dimensions of paintings and picture frames. There is something "satisfactory" about the relationships of the Greek "divided lines" proportion, which some have felt to be modern acculturation since the Renaissance. In the l930's the Pratt Institute of New York did a study on various rectangular proportions laid out as vertical frames, and asked several hundred art students to comment on which seemed the most pleasing. The ratio of 1 : 2 was least liked, while the Golden Ratio was favored by a very large margin, which seemed to point to the actual dimensions as generating a pleasing response by their size.” The complete article is at: http://community.middlebury.edu/~harris/Humanities/TheGoldenMean.html Personally I don't take any notice of this when there is an image on that rectangle. The image is of utmost importance and the balance of that image cannot be dictated by a mathematical formula. Sometimes the image MUST be square, others it screams for 2:1. I think we are limiting ourselves if we search only for images that fit the 3:2 proportion. Do the square shots and the panoramas remain unphotographed? Best of luck with your teacher. Rob David Degner wrote: > Rob > > Lately I have been reading a book on typography and it talks about some > different aspect ratios that are more pleasing to the eye than others. I > was wondering if you had any loose rules that you followed. You answered > my question thanks. I would experiment more with my cropping but this > semester we are using slides and the teacher is insistent that we show the > full frame. But Ill try it on some of my personal stuff. > > David Degner > > At 03:53 PM 4/10/2003 +1000, you wrote: > >Jerry > > > >I don't hold it against anyone if they question my, or anyone else's cropping. > >In this case I think David may have thought I use a Hasselblad Xpan or > >something > >similar. I wish!! Recently I tried one belonging to a friend of mine. > >Beautiful > >camera. I would buy one, but I have higher priorities. If I need a higher > >quality pano I can always shoot some overlapping frames and stitch. > > > >Cropping is a very personal thing. I used to be of that school that > >printed full > >frame to show the border. That was to prove that I did not crop! Now I > >will if > >I have to, crop the sides or top of an image to make the composition more > >pleasing. This is a crop from a 35mm image but in my opinion it looks > >better as > >a square, a la Hasselblad. > >http://www.leica-gallery.net/heymanphoto/image-43209.html > >There was nothing at the bottom of the frame that could not be removed. I > >think > >I now believe in the surgeon's motto. "If in doubt, cut it out!!" Some > >may say > >that the subject in now too central. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. > > > >Now that I read David's message again, I think I misunderstood the question. > >David, do you mean the ratio of top to sides? If so, I'm afraid I never give > >that a thought. I just chop it off till it looks right. There is no > >measurement > >involved, but 3:2 and 1:2 sound like good numbers for general purpose. > > > >Jerry Lehrer wrote: > > > > > I am really surprised at the naivety of David Degner. Where did > > > he develop his rigid thinking to question your cropping? > > > > > > Jerry > > > > > > Rob Heyman wrote: > > > > > > > Nothing fancy David, I just crop off the top and bottom. > > > > Rob > > > > > > > > David Degner wrote: > > > > > > > > > Rob, > > > > > > > > > > What is the super wide aspect ratio that you print at? It always seems > > > > > pleasing and gives a little relief from the norm. > > > > > > > > > > David Degner > > > > > > > > > > At 10:51 PM 4/8/2003 +1000, you wrote: > > > > > >Last Sunday I had the pleasure of photographing a young lady and her > > > > > >baby just after a rainstorm and the sky was just beautiful! Some > > of the > > > > > >proofs are posted here. > > > > > > > > > > > >http://www.leica-gallery.net/heymanphoto/folder-4411.html > > > > > > > > > > > >Rob > > > > > > > > > > > >-- > > > > > >__________________________________ > > > > > >Rob Heyman Photography > > > > > >32 Binyara Street > > > > > >CHAPEL HILL Qld 4069 > > > > > >Ph 07 3878 3884 fax 07 3378 6639 > > > > > >__________________________________ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >-- > > > > > >To unsubscribe, see > > http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > > > > > > > -- > > > > __________________________________ > > > > Rob Heyman Photography > > > > 32 Binyara Street > > > > CHAPEL HILL Qld 4069 > > > > Ph 07 3878 3884 fax 07 3378 6639 > > > > __________________________________ > > > > > > > > -- > > > > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > > > > > -- > > > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > > >-- > >__________________________________ > >Rob Heyman Photography > >32 Binyara Street > >CHAPEL HILL Qld 4069 > >Ph 07 3878 3884 fax 07 3378 6639 > >__________________________________ > > > > > >-- > >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- __________________________________ Rob Heyman Photography 32 Binyara Street CHAPEL HILL Qld 4069 Ph 07 3878 3884 fax 07 3378 6639 __________________________________ - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html