Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/02/11

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] "Ideal format?"
From: Sam Carleton <scarleton@miltonstreet.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 10:29:38 -0500
References: <200202111230.EAA16972@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>

John Amiet wrote:
> 
> 'Ideal Format' to me seems to be a bit of am oxymoron. Other proponents have argued in favour of
> standardizing on film size, paper size and so on, but my view is that the SUBJECT should determine the
> format. Then, and only then, can you consider selecting a film format to best suit it. And if you do, the paper
> won't fit anyway!
> So, one way or another cropping becomes inevitable, but so what. Fit the image you see onto the film,
> regardless of waste space, unless you are lucky enough to percieve a composition that 'fits' your film. Then,
> print your image onto the nearest paper size to your desire and crop the extraneous paper off!
> For years I 'forced' my images into 35mm and medium format shapes and then further contorted them onto
> 'standard' paper, all too often to the detriment of the original image that had no necessary connection to
> either size or format.
> Only now am I gradually escaping the gravitational pull of conventions, but I still have a long way to go. I do
> find that imaging success appears a little closer when I practice (a little harder) the precepts above.
> 
> Any agreement/disagreement?

I disagree and agree, adamantly!  

When I shoot 35mm, both Nikon and Leica right now, I shoot full frame
with every image (unless I am shooting sports).  I go so far as to print
full frame and include that black boarder, too.  I do this simply
because of style.  It is a style that I truly enjoy.  Where you see this
as forcing am image into a 35mm format, I see it as discovering an image
in the 35mm format:)

When I shoot 2 1/4, I always crop.  Normally I am shooting portraits and
I have the habit of shooting a bit loser then I do with 35mm.  Thus I
crop.  Having a four bladed easel in my darkroom and not having square
paper, I crop to whatever works best.

Personally I think it is all a style issue.  Because so much of my 35mm
work is full frame, it would look VERY strange to have one 35mm image
cropped in a series of 35mm full frame images.  Same goes with the 2 1/4
stuff, but reverse. 

The only draw back to both of my approaches is that frames are a lot
more expensive because they are never the standard size, but life goes
on:) as does the cost to my customers, hehehehe


Sam Carleton
35mm full frame images: http://w3.one.net/~carleton/dayinyourlife.html
a bit of both: http://photos.yahoo.com/samcarleton  (mind you that I do
put digital boarders on cropped images on the web)
- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html

In reply to: Message from John Amiet <jeapic@operamail.com> ([Leica] "Ideal format?")