I don't know how useful this is going to be, but some of you may be interested. I have found lately that I am more and more cropping my photos to a square format, this made me wonder if it would be worth to set my cameras (mostly a Fujifilm X70 and occasionally a X-T2) to shoot only in 1:1. According to the articles I have read (I have included a few links below) it may help amongst other benefits with my composition skills.
During lockdown I have been going through my photography books and found that many of the images are square format, I have never really noticed this before. I have this week got hold of a copy of Kenro Izu's 'Eternal Light' book and he makes very effective use of the square format.
I would appreciate your comments, what do you think of square compared to landscape of portrait? Do you think it is a worthwhile experiment? Have you tried it yourself and if so what are your conclusions?
Here are 3 links that may be of interest, there are plenty more if you google square format photography:
I love shooting in 1:1 format too. There is something that agrees with my brain, when I take square pictures. I usually use my phone, and will most likely set it for square instead of cropping after, but sometimes it it nice to have more flexibility with a crop.
Couldn’t you set your camera to 1:1 as the default for a while, and if it is not working out, switch back?
I've dabbled in it a bit and enjoyed the challenge - and the results. You should give it a go and see what you come up with. If it makes you happy, that's what counts. Thanks for the links!
@annied interesting topic, articles included. I can only speak for my amateur self but after 9 years of square uploads I should have some opinion. I started 365 using my first phone capturing and editing with Hipstamatic, a retro photo app with 1:1 pictures solely. I liked the retro editing side of the app and the square size was just a fact. Of course the squares became a trademark of the project over the years. Sometimes a picture just can’t fit in a square and although I will change the ratio to take that particular picture, it won’t turn up in my main album. I use my other albums for non-square pictures or edits.
I’m in no way against other sizes because it all depends on different factors. What’s the goal of your image, what format is the subject. How is the background? Is it staged or do you make snapshots? I belong to the latter. I make snapshots mainly and by using squares it is pretty easy to centralize a subject, although in many cases your photo will be more interesting if the subject is decentralized, like it is in other dimensions too. Go try things out for a while. The most challenging difference will probably be to make your composition as interesting as the cropped photos you create afterwards. You will get used to 1:1 pretty soon I suppose. Good luck.
i set my olympus to 1:1 a few weeks ago, partly because i was wanting to upload images to instagram and it's so much easier if you already have a square format. i've always enjoyed square and am getting used to composing with it. having said that, i will also shoot at my normal ratio here and there ... i certainly think it's a worthwhile experiment, and so easy to do ... looking forward to seeing what you decide!
The may half and half challenge uses the square format and most people follow that for their postings. Here is a link to mine this year and you can follow the link to other photos for a peek at what others have done. http://365project.org/grammyn/tags/mayhalf20
I crop square occasionally... whenever I think it best suits the subject. Well, I've never set my camera to shoot square, but occasionally shoot with a square crop in my mind.
I like your question "what format is the subject.", though. I used to do a lot of "whatever fits" crops, going all the way back to film. I would've argued that aspect ratio was an arbitrary constraint,and isn't even consistent between standard print sizes (4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, etc).... But in my old age, I seem to be getting more traditional. So you'll mostly see 1:1.5, which matches my old 35mm film, and my current Fujifilm X-T3.... Unless a specific image calls for different.
@transatlantic99@vignouse@30pics4jackiesdiamond in past years i am sure there was a square format month, would be keen, i have been cropping old images square to post on instagram as a way of using my massive back-catalog, not every photo suits it, but i have used 1:1 format before , to shoot square in-camera, a bit different approach to normal and in the process discovered the other crops my camera can do too.
I have completed a week of square format only and found it most useful and interesting. It surprised and amused me that it took me 3 or 4 days to get out of the habit of automatically turning my camera from landscape to portrait for shots that I would normally do that for! That was something I had not expected. I do think that constraining myself to 1:1 has compelled me to think about framing more, and I have definitely had to think more about my position vis a vis the subject.
But perhaps the most interesting change that I have experienced is in post-processing, I am doing much less cropping which to my mind is a very good thing. In fact my time post-processing is consequently much less and almost completely confined to small adjustments to straighten the image. I say "almost" because I think the only time I have done a severe crop is to isolate the hands of a subject.
All in all it has been a good exercise so far.
Okay, I have now finished my square format experiment. It has been a useful thing to do as I have not only learned to move myself around more to get the composition right (and tight), but also that it is much more satisfying to get things right in camera rather than relying on post-processing—cropping etc.
It is not all about technique, however, it is also about myself, how I relate to the subject (especially if it is a person) and feeling comfortable in myself as a photographer. As I go back to landscape and portrait mode the challenge now is to apply what I have learned and get my composition right in camera.
Write a Reply
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
Couldn’t you set your camera to 1:1 as the default for a while, and if it is not working out, switch back?
I’m in no way against other sizes because it all depends on different factors. What’s the goal of your image, what format is the subject. How is the background? Is it staged or do you make snapshots? I belong to the latter. I make snapshots mainly and by using squares it is pretty easy to centralize a subject, although in many cases your photo will be more interesting if the subject is decentralized, like it is in other dimensions too. Go try things out for a while. The most challenging difference will probably be to make your composition as interesting as the cropped photos you create afterwards. You will get used to 1:1 pretty soon I suppose. Good luck.
I like your question "what format is the subject.", though. I used to do a lot of "whatever fits" crops, going all the way back to film. I would've argued that aspect ratio was an arbitrary constraint,and isn't even consistent between standard print sizes (4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, etc).... But in my old age, I seem to be getting more traditional. So you'll mostly see 1:1.5, which matches my old 35mm film, and my current Fujifilm X-T3.... Unless a specific image calls for different.
.
But perhaps the most interesting change that I have experienced is in post-processing, I am doing much less cropping which to my mind is a very good thing. In fact my time post-processing is consequently much less and almost completely confined to small adjustments to straighten the image. I say "almost" because I think the only time I have done a severe crop is to isolate the hands of a subject.
All in all it has been a good exercise so far.
It is not all about technique, however, it is also about myself, how I relate to the subject (especially if it is a person) and feeling comfortable in myself as a photographer. As I go back to landscape and portrait mode the challenge now is to apply what I have learned and get my composition right in camera.