How to print 6x6 negatives

[Wade D]

I have no preconceived notions about what format will produce what type of print. If the vision I had at the time of exposure dictates that I make a square print from a 4x5 negative or a rectangular print from a 6x6 negative then that's what I do. As long as the final print expresses what I desire. Good composition doesn't necessarily mean that every millimeter of film needs to be included in the final print either.

[Ian David]

I print square with the paper in portrait mode so that even just in a portfolio it has white space around it and more space below than above.

Me too. I think an unmounted square print generally looks better on a rectangular piece of paper with plenty of white space around the image. Always more space below than above.

And I agree with Wade's last post above. I mostly print square from the Blad, but certainly not always.

Ian

[Henry Alive]

I want to thank all of you. There have been many comments, but seems to be clear that a 6x6 negative offers many possibilities, as it can be printed square, portrait or landscape with no problem. I do not think I will make a mistake buying a Hasselblad, even though I have been working mainly with 35 mm so far. Thanks again.
Henry.

[eddym]

There's nothing more or less authentic about a print from a full-frame or with a crop, or more or less lazy. Useless dogma can be extremely limiting, and we shouldn't contribute to giving people some needless complex about cropping to make the image they want to make. Some people might work better with a "full frame only" monkey on their backs, but others might not, and that's FINE.

I have been saying that for years! Just because the camera in your hand crops the world to a certain aspect ratio, that does not mean that your vision is limited to it. After all, lenses create an image circle; everything else -square, rectangle, or triangle- is cropping, either in the camera or afterwards!

[fotch]

Henry, you got it. The focus should be on the final print. Its the result that counts.
Good luck

[Wade D]

Henry, you got it. The focus should be on the final print. Its the result that counts.
Good luck

I agree 100%.

[Sirius Glass]

Henry, you got it. The focus should be on the final print. Its the result that counts.
Good luck

Am I missing something here? I though the focus was on the negative, then on the paper. If I am wrong, please advise!

Steve

[michaelbsc]

I usually looked at my 6x6 negative that they could be printed in the traditional rectangle either horizontal or vertical. More than enough negative to permit cropping. Same as with any negative in that they may not proportion out exactly to the print paper.

Same here. I put little pencil marks on my TLR screen with horizontal and vertical cropping so I have a guide. Then I can frame any way I want it according tot he scene in front of me. The scene dictates rather than the camera.

[Q.G.]

The scene dictates rather than the camera.

And that's the thing: you should dictate, and not have anything else dictate you.

[fotch]

Am I missing something here? I though the focus was on the negative, then on the paper. If I am wrong, please advise!

Steve

What is hanging on the wall? Or sitting on your desk? Or carried in your wallet?