Why Stick to the 2:3 Ratio ?

[The Hat]

Is it that important to faithfully follow the 2:3 ratio right down to the bitter end and onto the paper and if so Why ?
I mean come on, I say just crop the darn photo and get it to fit onto your paper size and not the other way round, which came first the chicken or the egg. !

I am amazed at the amount of times I’ve head someone say it's unacceptable to crop their photos, it would ruin the whole thing completely, I reckon some are even afraid to reduce their precious photos in case it gets distorted in some weird way, and much the same attitude applies to large borders.

But going back to the very beginning, their precious photos was cropped the second the camera shutter went click, so what the heck is the problem getting it down on the paper, is everything above a 4x6 print distorting our own prospective of what is acceptable anymore.

As I am obviously not a photographer but if I take a shot of a horses butt, I don’t reckon it’s necessary to capture the whole horse just to get his friggin arse in the frame.

Am I just a Moran or what, and will never understand how a photographer sees something that’s worth while capturing..

 

[Roy Sletcher]

Is it that important to faithfully follow the 2:3 ratio right down to the bitter end and onto the paper and if so Why ?
I mean come on, I say just crop the darn photo and get it to fit onto your paper size and not the other way round, which came first the chicken or the egg. !

I am amazed at the amount of times I’ve head someone say it's unacceptable to crop their photos, it would ruin the whole thing completely, I reckon some are even afraid to reduce their precious photos in case it gets distorted in some weird way, and much the same attitude applies to large borders.

But going back to the very beginning, their precious photos was cropped the second the camera shutter went click, so what the heck is the problem getting it down on the paper, is everything above a 4x6 print distorting our own prospective of what is acceptable anymore.

As I am obviously not a photographer but if I take a shot of a horses butt, I don’t reckon it’s necessary to capture the whole horse just to get his friggin arse in the frame.

Am I just a Moran or what, and will never understand how a photographer sees something that’s worth while capturing..

Right on...

The object is to turn the captured image into the best picture possible using the tools at your disposal.

Cropping to irregular sizes is just one of the many tools that drives the old style purists nuts.

Unless the image is a news or visual record item there should be no restrictions to IMPROVING the picture. The final image speaks for itself.

RS

 

[jtoolman]

Funny you bring than up! I did a "Rant" video on that very subject and peed off all sorts of these so called ratio purist!

I remember shooting on film 35mm which is the 2:3 ratio everyone is so enamored with, also square 6x6cm, 6x9 cm, 3x4, 4.5x6, 4x5, 5x7 inch film.
And as much as you carefully compose on camera you could always crop off that tiny sliver of image here or there, to turn it from "Mehhh" to "Wow".

But then, oh crap the print will no longer the magical 2:3 ratio I took an oath to the photoaphy Gods I would stick to! OMG!

Just about every single image I see published this day can be improved by a bit of judicious and careful cropping to ANY FINAL RATIO!!!

I guess final maximum final image impact is not as important as sticking with the camera sensor ratio just for the sake of it!

Joe

 

[berserk]

That's why I use roll-paper.

Thirty years ago when having a Hassy I fell in love with square pics - and am still.
But it also learnt me not to use a certain format because you have it in the camera and on printing papers. I could put a 45x60mm magazine on that Hassy as well and get more pics as well.

Buying ready cut paper for me is many times loss of money. In my new camera (FF) I can set the crop-factor of 1:1 (24x24mm) AND have that a frame in the view-finder that really show the crop - it helps me to compose that very 1:1-pic. Also I can use some of my "old" APS-C-lenses without vignetting. Shooting 1:1 ratio with a 2:3 ratio camera is not at all easy for me - now solved with the new one. I use a Pentax K1 but suppose all FF:s have that setting. Though - In a way I feel odd - have a feeling that most people wants to use the the potential of the whole sensor buying a FF and then crop...

Anyhow - it's everyones freedom to use whatever ratio they want!
I always cut my photos to the size and ratio i like! There are no rules!

/berserk

 

[stratman]

Thirty years ago when having a Hassy I fell

Is that what Swedes call Hennessy? If so, I've had that happen, too, though it took more than one Hassy. (just kidding)

 

[berserk]

For heavens sake - do not show that!
It's almost five days until Saturday.

(By the way - I hope You have good intentions when You call me rutabaga (swede) ... otherwise I'll call the moderator!)

/berserk

 

[stratman]

People say life is short. In this case, 5 days is a long time.
Truth be told I am a Remy Martin man, though Hennessy works too.

And for any teetotalers out there, we use the spirits for purely medicinal purposes, like removing ink from our hands.

 

[stratman]

(By the way - I hope You have good intentions when You call me rutabaga (swede) ... otherwise I'll call the moderator!)

I did not know that! We call them turnips.

 

[berserk]

Hennessy is OEM - Remy Martin is third party!

But with the right soft proofing I can stand the latter as well.

 

[The Hat]

All this arguing is making me thirsty...