The square & the landscape!

[pitchertaker]

Seems to me that everyone is making a good arguement for shooting 6x7 -- crop it to a square if the images demands it. I, for one, subscribe to the "crop it to what the subject demands" -- the heck with the format, just make sure one side of the resulting image takes full use of the long side of the negative.

Pitchertaker

[Whiteymorange]

Just a penny's worth of subjective observation on the square. The corners pull more on the composition in a square, and imbalance, that wonderful creator of tension within the frame, is a more delicate thing - easily overdone. All in all, it is very much worth the effort. I have used square canvases for both landscape and for still life painting for years.

Three rules of thumb: Keep the horizon out of the center, use the rule of thirds and break the frame with a strong movement or significant visual line.

There. Free advice and worth every penny!

Whitey

[waynecrider]

I agree with the point about flipping a big camera and lens.

Personally I returned to 6x6 because I can pull a 645 neg out of it if need be for an 8x10 print. The square print also reminds me of looking out a window for some reason. It constrains the view and focuses the attention more.

Wim van Velzen does some nice stuff with a 6x6

http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl...portfolios.htm

[dancqu]

Originally Posted by Juba

What`s your view on this? In my case, I need to relearn
composition and perspective with the 6x6, wasn`t easy to
see square. Isn`t a balanced composition harder to achieve
than with the familiar rectangle?

If you stop and think about it you have in mind making use
of each and every square centimeter of film area. A 6 x 4.5 will
put 15 or 16 frames on a 120 roll, cropped to a 3:4 ratio.

Comparitively, formats other than square are much less
convenient to use and they are slower to use. Also they are
heavier and more bulky do to needed viewfinder add-ons. Of
course the camera is always balanced upright and in the
darkroom the image on the easel is also always upright.

I've a RZ-67 needing some clean up and repair. Those
doing the work may be able to disable the screen's portrait and
landscape mode masks. I hope to have a full 7 x 7 screen with a
grid to help in composition. As it is, and it goes for any format
screen other than square, flipping or rotating of the entire
camera or back plus rotation of finder is necessary. I've
made my 6 x 4.5 Bronica usable by adding their very
fine rotary finder; weight and bulk. Dan

[gchpaco]

My problem with shooting 6x7 is the 6x7 cameras out there. Having inspected them, the Mamiya RB67 might actually be about the same size as my Bronica S2 (which is quite a bit larger than a Hassy), but it's not really convenient for hiking. The big Pentax is better about this, but I like having detachable backs and not having to flop the camera onto its side. I can't afford the Mamiya 7. The GS-1 doesn't have a rotating back but is probably the most acceptable to me otherwise.

I've actually settled for a 6x9 folder for bigger than 6x6 in MF; it's lightweight, portable, good results, and rectangular. And anyway I like the way square compositions work.

[Bill Mobbs]

Originally Posted by Whiteymorange

Just a penny's worth of subjective observation on the square. The corners pull more on the composition in a square, and imbalance, that wonderful creator of tension within the frame, is a more delicate thing - easily overdone. All in all, it is very much worth the effort. I have used square canvases for both landscape and for still life painting for years.

Three rules of thumb: Keep the horizon out of the center, use the rule of thirds and break the frame with a strong movement or significant visual line.

There. Free advice and worth every penny!

Whitey

Now here is some advise I can use. It is worth every penny and more!

Thanks Whitey

[jmilliron]

Originally Posted by david b

http://www.apug.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=6931

A great example....

Thanks David! The square format is challenging to me but at the same time, I find it very refreshing. Might go so far as to say its revitalized my interest in photography.

-jason m

[seoirse]

Take a look at a website which demonstrates the power of the square image...


www.strand-photo.com


Regards,
S.

[dpurdy]

Michael Kenna is no slouch with a square.
People are different. I get the format of my camera ingrained in me so I see how it sees.. which is why I like the Rollei with only the one lens length. That vision parameter is permanently stamped in my brain. When I get tired of looking through a normal square I take a short break with a different camera.
Dennis

[haris]

I have nothing against it, and have seen square landscape photographs I really like.