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Today focus is: Mastering Photo Aspect Ratios
Mastering Photo Aspect Ratios on Modern Digital Cameras: Some personal notes
Introduction:
Photo aspect ratio refers to the proportional relationship between the width and height of an image. It’s expressed as a ratio, such as 4:3 or 16:9, indicating how many units wide the image is compared to its height.
1. Understanding numbers
First of all, an aspect ratio starts with the number associated with the width, separated by a colon from the number associated with the height, like so:
X:Y (the width (X) always comes first)
The x:y is an expression of a ratio, so you will encounter different sizes of photographs that use the same ratio. For instance, if you shoot a 6 x 4″ photo, you’ve just captured an image with a ratio of 3:2. If you shoot an image of roughly 8 x 5.3″, you’ve still captured an image with the same ratio of 3:2.
2. Why Is Aspect Ratio Important ?
Technical Reasons: You’re going to need to understand aspect ratios when you’re posting your photographs online.
For instance, the aspect ratio of your Facebook profile pic will be different when you’re viewing it on a medium like your phone, as opposed to viewing it on your laptop. Because of this, the various social networking platforms or website builders will force you to fit your photos within standard aspect ratios. If you don’t want your profile pic distorted, stretched, or cut off, you’re going to want to match the ratio of your profile pic to their standard aspect ratio.
Printing Photographs: If you’re planning on printing your photos, you’ll need to know which ratios are required for common print sizes.
For Aesthetic Reasons:
Changing the ratio will impact where your subject is positioned in relation to the sides of the frame. If you have an important feature positioned near an edge, you could lose it altogether with the wrong ratio.
Your aspect ratio can be used to convey emotion. For example, a ratio of 2:35 allows for negative space within a photograph. You can use this space to create an expansive quality in your landscape or evoke feelings of loneliness and isolation in your portrait.
Changing your aspect ratio may also help if you feel you have some extra “room” in your photo (this often applies more to vertical images). A vertical image may be too roomy at a ratio of 2:3, while a ratio of 4:5 could give the photo a snugger frame, resulting in a more appealing composition.
Bautsch, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons | Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
3. In photography, there are several common aspect ratios, each with its own history and application:
4:3 – This ratio was commonly used in early television screens and analog photography, such as 35mm film. It provides a slightly more square-shaped image.
3:2 – Standard in 35mm film photography and many digital cameras, this ratio has been popular for decades. It strikes a balance between width and height, offering versatility.
16:9 – Widely used in modern digital devices like TVs, computer monitors, and smartphones, this ratio is more elongated, suited for widescreen viewing.
16:10 – Aspect ratio again mostly used for computer displays and tablet computers. The width of the display is 1.6 times its height. This ratio is close to the golden ratio which is approximately 1.618.
1:1 – Also known as a square aspect ratio, it’s popular on social media platforms like Instagram. It offers a balanced and symmetrical composition.
Other ratios include 4:5 and 5:7, which are often used for portrait-oriented compositions, and cinematic ratios like 2.39:1 or 1.85:1, which are commonly seen in movies for widescreen viewing.
Each aspect ratio has its own historical significance, shaped by technological advancements, artistic preferences, and practical considerations. Understanding their origins and characteristics can help photographers make informed choices when composing their images.
4. Ideal use of different aspect ratios:
4:3: Ideal for presentations, as it matches older projector and TV screens.
3:2: Standard in photography, versatile for various compositions, suitable for prints.
16:9: Great for multimedia content, fits modern screens, perfect for video production.
1:1: Excellent for social media, especially Instagram, promoting symmetry and balance.
Cinematic Ratios: Enhance storytelling in films, create immersive viewing experiences.
Panoramic Ratios: Capture expansive landscapes, convey a sense of vastness and depth.
With modern photo editors, it is now easily possible to modify the aspect ratio of each photograph in the post-production phase. Today any even modest and simple photo editor allows you to change the ratio of the photograph. In any case, to optimize the photographic composition, I recommend using the aspect ratio when taking photographs.
Choosing the right aspect ratio enhances visual communication and ensures images look their best in specific contexts.
Conclusion: Personally I almost always use the 16:9 format. It is probably the most useful format for viewing photographs on large TV screens, and also used in many PC monitors. Lately I’ve started using the 4:3 format from time to time. But I’m doing some tests and experiments on this.
In any case, it is almost always a choice that is functional to your photographic shooting needs, and possibly also to your preferences in terms of style and framing of the subject.
