Even among portraits this format is scarce. To me it looks very static. Sort of like a squat toad just sitting there.
I would guess the square-ish ones are mostly portraits.
I think Frame Destination has pre-cut square mats. For frames I do square sometimes, but often I frame in a "standard" dimension rectangular frame. Rectangular frames mix better with other formats too.
Don't, hate it as aesthetically displeasing. I much prefer the Golden Rectangle.
affordable 6x7: Mamiya RB67.Like Maris, I pretty much follow the format, and a lot of the stuff I shoot seems to work well in the square. Maybe because I have been doing more of the square lately, I'm actually finding the 3:2 aspect ratio almost too extreme some of the time, especially in a vertical. I would probably like a 6x7 if I found one to suit me (that I could afford!)
As others have mentioned, framing square in a rectangular frame works very nicely. I don't center my prints, I float them with the opening toward the top, so the mat is bottom-heavy. It's very dramatic. I also cut my own mats in 8-ply, which really bumps up the effect.I like it but finding frames is a big PITA so I don't print that size very often. In fact all my square prints sit in a drawer.
You can complain when your photos sell for a quarter-billion a pop.Squat toad di Leonardo.
Somebody important did:Anyone like circles?
That was tongue in cheek. Lots of squares in my portfolio. (But I do like the squat toad simile.)You can complain when your photos sell for a quarter-billion a pop.
Ah yes, I have actually looked at them fairly recently -- carrying one around could substitute for a gym membership (which I don't do either). But I may still succumb to GAS in that direction. I actually looked longingly at that Fuji folder that just had some NOS resurface, but for two grand I think I'll just crop my 6x6 occasionally (or trim the ends from my 6x9 Ercona II).affordable 6x7: Mamiya RB67.
The biggest plus to the RB is the price - you can put together a multi-lens system for under $500. The problem with them (other than the weight) is that spare parts are getting harder to come by, so your neighborhood camera repair person may not be willing to work on them. But if a body craps out on you, well, a replacement is probably cheaper than a repair anyway. If you do go down that route, I strongly recommend looking for an RB-67 ProSD- they're the newest of the RB lineup, and less likely to be worn out from heavy pro usage. Bump your budget a tad and you can get an RZ instead, which is a much newer camera and can provide some degree of automation, depending on the accessories you couple with it (metered prism, motor winder).Ah yes, I have actually looked at them fairly recently -- carrying one around could substitute for a gym membership (which I don't do either). But I may still succumb to GAS in that direction. I actually looked longingly at that Fuji folder that just had some NOS resurface, but for two grand I think I'll just crop my 6x6 occasionally (or trim the ends from my 6x9 Ercona II).
Somebody important did:
Doni Tondo, by Michelangelo.
The biggest plus to the RB is the price - you can put together a multi-lens system for under $500. The problem with them (other than the weight) is that spare parts are getting harder to come by, so your neighborhood camera repair person may not be willing to work on them. But if a body craps out on you, well, a replacement is probably cheaper than a repair anyway. If you do go down that route, I strongly recommend looking for an RB-67 ProSD- they're the newest of the RB lineup, and less likely to be worn out from heavy pro usage. Bump your budget a tad and you can get an RZ instead, which is a much newer camera and can provide some degree of automation, depending on the accessories you couple with it (metered prism, motor winder).
I suggest you look at some of the compositions by Bill Brandt.
Yo I really like these! finally a little off center composition!I use a square crop when it fits, i.e. when the subject happens to fill a square. If there is a lot of empty space, I crop without hesitation. I think you lose a lot of good photos if you get stuck on the shape of the film gate, 6x6 or otherwise. With moving subjects you also often don't have time to compose to the edge of the frame (especially when you don't have a zoom). Here are some examples: 6x6 full frame, 6x6 cropped to 2:1 and 645 cropped to 1:1.
Full frame 6x6:
Cropped 6x6:
645 cropped to square:
Can you explain what the formula is for such centering?
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