The Storr Loch
During my workshop on Skye this December, we visited the Storr loch and found a tree that had been frozen, half submerged. It was a very beautiful subject to photograph and Peter, Simon and myself had a go at making an image of it.
What was interesting for me during the workshop, was that I kept on wanting to crop most of the images from the participants into the square format. I should perhaps let you all know that I’ve just recently acquired a Hasselblad with three lenses. I’ve been feeling for a while that I would like to see what it’s like to compose for square. The Hasselblad also focusses closer than the Mamiya 7 does, plus, I have a nice macro for it, so I’m curious to see if this is perhaps a new beginning for me, or just something else to add to my own way of making images in the future.
I doubt very much that I’ll finish scanning all my new images before I head off to the USA next week, which I guess means I’ve got some exciting new images to look forward to when I return home.
I’m hunting on ebay for a mamiya rb67, after a couple of years of square format whith a yashica 124.
I love the square format, but sometimes I feel that it pulls me to the “simmetry side” of composition…
Comment by funebre — 16 December, 2010 @ 10:48 pm
It’s good to try different formats. If anything – to shake up our way of ‘seeing’ and making us think a little differently :-)
I’ve been heading towards Symmetry for years. I’m looking forward to Square. But I do feel that 6×7 or 4×5 are the classic aspect ratios.
Shame that the world still believes in 3:2. I feel I need to set up a site called ‘abolish 3:2′. It’s a rubbish aspect ratio that we’re stuck with due to physical constraints… so why are the camera manufacturers making digital cameras with 3:2 aspect ratio now? Surely the new medium is free of such physical constraints?
Comment by Bruce Percy — 16 December, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
that is a beautiful image Bruce. is there a square crop in there somewhere?
Comment by duggy2 — 16 December, 2010 @ 11:49 pm
As you said on the trip Bruce that tree will not be there in time to come which makes this picture all the more special.
There is a square crop in this image, as we found on the workshop. Of course I prefer your image to mine although I may well print this one and the Elgol shot for the wall at home.
Wishing I was back on Skye :-)
Comment by Simonhi — 17 December, 2010 @ 12:32 am
Duggy, I reckon there’s always a square crop in there somewhere.
I’m coming to the opinion that square works for just about any scene. It’s the most forgiving aspect ratio IMHO.
Simon, thanks for the input. The film version looks very different from digital doesn’t it? And yes, I haven’t done it yet, but I think there’s a square in this, as there was in both yourself and Peter’s versions.
Glad you enjoyed Skye. You certainly had the right attitude – or sense of adventure :-)
Comment by Bruce Percy — 17 December, 2010 @ 12:38 am