I dont worry about standard formats. I format image proportions suitable to the visual language I'm constructing and lay out book pages (or exhibition framing) to suit.
Of course, there are those occasions when having a regular format throughout a particular exhibit or book makes good sense. But I don't need to be reminded of this in the camera viewfinder when I'm framing. I've gotten into the habit of framing a little 'loose' when making the exposure to ensure that I can set the format proportions as desired when I'm preparing to output finished work. In conflict with that, the Olympus E-PL1 that I picked up (so as to play with some oddball lenses) has been set to record and display square format since I got it. I'm anything but consistent, eh? 0;-) Godfrey On Aug 23, 2013, at 9:42 AM, Stan Halpin <s...@stans-photography.info> wrote: > Rick Wormer recently posted a very nice PESO: > > http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=17505433&size=lg > > Comments he has received so far mention the good composition. I totally agree > - it is a boffo shot as presented. > > However, viewing it quickly brought to mind some mild struggles I have been > having. The recent workshop I attended yielded several shots I have been > motivated to print, and I have started layout of a Blurb book based on that > week's shots. The problem I am having is that many of my compositions, as > seen through the viewfinder and as captured by the sensor, and as viewed on > my monitor, are just about exactly the way I want them. But the format is not > an 8x10 nor 11x14 nor 13x17. So I need to print with too wide margins top or > bottom. Same problem with Blurb layouts. Looking at Rick's image, I cannot > see how he would be able to print the image in any standard format; any > cropping on the sides would damage/destroy his composition. > > Paper can be trimmed, mats and frames can be custom cut. But it is still a > nuisance. I would love to have firmware in the camera that would show the > viewing area with an 4x5 ratio (or other selectable ratio) partial mask. Many > P&S cameras have a selectable format ratio when taking the photo; I wouldn't > want that. But if I am thinking "this shot could make a nice print", I would > like a viewfinder reminder of the area(s) that would correspond to print > format ratios. If I decide on a different presentation mode later, I would > still have the full-frame image to work with, unlike with the P&S approach. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
