Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/27

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Subject: [Leica] Composition - The Golden Section?
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Sat Aug 27 19:52:53 2005

On 8/27/05 5:18 PM, "Steve Ries" <sries333@eticomm.net> typed:

> I am trying to improve my photograph's compositions and I need some input
> regarding the "Golden Section" or "Golden Ratio". To date I have just been
> putting the main subject slightly off center either horizontally or
> vertically but I would like to see something better.
> 
>  
> 
> Any input on this subject is greatly appreciated.
> 
>  
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Steve
> 
I'm on the side of the Golden Mean or section.
I don't say or do anything bad about the Golden Mean that I'd not want the
Golden Section to say or do about me.
And I don't mess with mother nature. And I do think the Golden section/mean
is in the mother nature category. Just look at a cross section of an
artichoke some day. And drop some acid. "Wow man!"

 LBJ took the IRT
 down to 4th street USA
 When he got there, what did he see?
 The youth of America on LSD.

 LBJ, IRT
 USA, LSD

 LSD, LBJ
 FBI, CIA


But I really do think there's something to it.
I back that up by often setting my crop tool in Photoshop to 1.61803. I have
a Quickey macro which puts those numbers right in there. And or the
selection tool then I hit the crop button.

As far as Giselle in the pink bikini I think its a rather well done
unpretenous not particularly over stated glamour or beauty shot and I'll
admit to being slightly fond of it.
My definition of Pornography is "erotic art poorly done".
In this case it is my opinion that this shot is not all that poorly done.
I'd not have minded having shot it. Heck I'd have paid for lunch afterward!

I have photographed supermodels or near supermodels and one has to try very
hard to get a shot of them which is all that terrible. Dress them up in
anything and put them in front of anything and what you you have? Something
often more eye catching than your typical tide pool shot.
"Gee Cheryl! You cant take a bad picture" remember that from the early 70's?
Cheryl Teigs. That real boring dishwater blond pre supermodel. Not from
Brazil by a long shot.

I'm amazed how we work in 35mm with our 2 over 3 skinny rectangle. I'm real
fond of it though for lots of stuff. But sometimes a more "normal" rectangle
is in order. 
The golden rectangle is quite a bit more skinny even than that. Heck to me
it looks almost panoramic but it all works out real well.

I'm curious about the mathematics behind the pyramid of Giza and other
stuff:
There's also this thing based on the size of the earth called the "Golden
Mileage" It's sure not what my Volvo station wagon gets with the air
conditioning on.

http://www.halexandria.org/dward824.htm

"On the other hand, someone or some group(s) do seem to have an uncommon
appreciation of sitting highly significant sites -- such as the Great
Pyramids at Giza and/or Teotihuacan, the Nasca Lines of Peru, the ancient
city of Cusco, Peru (and the great ancient fortress there), and Angkor Wat
(Cambodia) -- such that these sites are to within amazing accuracy all
related to one another and ultimately to the Golden Mean."




Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/





In reply to: Message from sries333 at eticomm.net (Steve Ries) ([Leica] Composition - The Golden Section?)