First off, I wish you all a Happy New Year ahead...
I am wondering how one would shoot a wedding if he doesn't want to use the 8x10 matts that come with the leather albums designs...and instead use the page frame itself..
Dia Creations rep. told me I can use the whole page for a print size instead of cropping to 8x10...I can oprint 11x11 and slide that print in directly in the page - makes for a great large print but lots of cropping off.
I just now tried cropping some photos to 11x11 and there is definitely some adjustments to my shooting that I would need to do.
What's the equation when you shoot this 'square format' style photography...I saw immideiately that my up close portraiture or pj shots will have to be a lot wider if I want to capture a little more width of my subjects and surrounding areas....
does no one have an answer I have seen books with 11x11 prints fromn dslrs... so I know they are possible..but has anyone done this..or are you guys keeping your secrets??
I don't really understand the question, of course 11"x11" is going to require a more square crop than a 6"x4" of the native aspect ratio of the sensor, are you telling me this came as a surprise?
What I do is use albums that aren't slip in, they're digital books, either 16"x12" or 12"x12", capable of double-page spreads, so I just open up a new 300DPI photoshop file and put is as many or as few photos as I desire for that page, and then I can have them whatever aspect ratio best suits the photo.
Well it depends what you are asking. Are you asking if you can do a square crop? I think you know the answer to that, yes. I mean, just know this going in and shoot looser than you normally would. Such as is probably the case already going from a 2:3 frame to a 4:5 (8x10) crop.
Or
Are you asking can a DSLR rival an MF in terms of quality and print sizes, then no. I mean the quality from the 'blads (Hasselblad i.e. ~$24k) is ridiculous and the print sizes possible are even more so. I mean.... well, look up the H3 and it becomes quite clear.
As far as an equation, not really sure what you mean by that.
I'm not asking about quality i know MF is great just like the $tag..
What I'm asking is how does one go about shooting a full wedding with a dslr FF camera when he knows he will be printinbg in 11x11..does he avoid all vertical positons with the camera and just shoot wide...
I gather any telephoto shot would be useless as well....or no?
For example...I shot this vertically:
and I am very far away...if i wanted to crop this to 11x11...forget it..I lost the whole story..
so I am guessing I would havwe to shoot this horizontally and a little wider...
nektario is clearly asking: how does one go about changing one's style of "photographic seeing" if a square crop is the desired finished product?
i'd say challenge yourself with personal projects and shoot every day with that aspect ratio in mind. as part of your practice you may even want to go as far as adapting your eyepiece to cover a bit of the viewfinder so you're only "seeing" a square image when you compose.
Canon makes focus screens with "masks" that show you 4:5 and 1:1 (i.e. square) crops right in the viewfinder. Obviously, you would then need to crop the files in PS once you upload to your computer, but the composition is already taken care of.
Actually, I have a spare set for 1-series camera. Anybody want to buy it?
Thanks you ksmahgrts -- that's what I was thinking too....and thx for understanding...
and Jonathan....thansk very much for that tip..I had no idea they offered that..
I ll check it out atthe local shop...
I really gotta get down on thee ratio numbers codes...
I'm kind of like a S.W.A.T team member..I just know how to shoot but I don't really care how the ammo gets out of my weapon
Thanks for the help guys
Be careful... your clients aren't going to want tons of square images for their picture frames and/or as gifts. They're going to want 4x6 and 5x7 prints. Watch that you don't shoot yourself in the foot (no pun intended) by going square and leaving them with ill-cropped versions of what you framed to be 11x11 just for the sake of an album.
I don't know why you couldn't crop that image square... But in terms of shooting style, if you're going to crop square then it means it doesn't matter if you shoot horizontal or vertical. Just compose the subject near the middle and chop the sides in post... As far as "seeing" the square, if you can't "see" it then get a focusing screen to train your eye.
Chris..I didn't say I can't crop it, I can crop it to whatever size I want..I can crop it to 4x8 or to whatever...the point is to crop to 11x1 but without losing the full image height..
I mean here it is cropped at 11x11
I am sure the non cropped one would catch my client's eye a little bit more than the cropped ceiling version..I mean both are good but you see what I'm saying..
So I'm wondering if this style is possible without having to shoot inside the churches from the sidewalk...so I'm am figuring I would have to mostly horizontal - a bit further away and truly center my images rather than use the one thirds rule in the viewfinder...Oh I saw that you just stated that same thing...I would have to really shoot center...thanks for the tips..I'm beginning to see the square now
unblinkable wrote:
Be careful... your clients aren't going to want tons of square images for their picture frames and/or as gifts. They're going to want 4x6 and 5x7 prints. Watch that you don't shoot yourself in the foot (no pun intended) by going square and leaving them with ill-cropped versions of what you framed to be 11x11 just for the sake of an album.
yes....good point..well taken..
Well I don't think I'll do the focusing screen mod...for one I'd rather spend the money elsewhere..and I think as I replied to Chris..and as he mentioned...the main thing would be to shoot center more than one thirds in the view finder...that way..I can still apply a 1/3 rule after cropping if I have a 5x7 parent album to supply..
You guys are very helpful like always...thanks..
To keep your vertical composition, and still fit a square album page..try this. I just enlarged your image to 620 pixels square, converted it to B&W to use as a BG...now you just lay your vertical UNcropped image on top of it...this way you maintain the aspect ratio that you like for your customer.
hope this helps,
paul
Paul Freeman wrote:
To keep your vertical composition, and still fit a square album page..try this. I just enlarged your image to 620 pixels square, converted it to B&W to use as a BG...now you just lay your vertical UNcropped image on top of it...this way you maintain the aspect ratio that you like for your customer.
hope this helps,
paul
get a different album company? or just leave negative space. i use square albums, and just leave space around them. helps frame the images, and i despise cropping, so it works there, too.
Nektario K wrote:
Chris..I didn't say I can't crop it, I can crop it to whatever size I want..I can crop it to 4x8 or to whatever...the point is to crop to 11x1 but without losing the full image height..
I mean here it is cropped at 11x11
I am sure the non cropped one would catch my client's eye a little bit more than the cropped ceiling version..I mean both are good but you see what I'm saying..
So I'm wondering if this style is possible without having to shoot inside the churches from the sidewalk...so I'm am figuring I would have to mostly horizontal - a bit further away and truly center my images rather than use the one thirds rule in the viewfinder...Oh I saw that you just stated that same thing...I would have to really shoot center...thanks for the tips..I'm beginning to see the square now
Well, you have two possible routes:
1. Crop to get less (like in the photo above)
2. Shoot to have have more than needed.
It all depends on your location\angle at the time of shooting. Sometimes No.1 will make a better image; in others No.2 is the best route; and sometimes 1:1 just won't work.
Square format is just another tool to make a compelling composition, at the same level as your chosen aperture. You really can't constrict yourself to one format for all photos, without compromising. Same as you can't shoot with a fixed aperture.
Take the photo above: Route No.1 gives a less compelling photo because you loose the "grandness" of the church. Route No.2 however would induce much more of the church, too much really. The couple would be lost in the details of the stonework. I think the original composition is the best one for this shot.
I have seen books with 11x11 prints fromn dslrs... so I know they are possible..but has anyone done this..or are you guys keeping your secrets??
