Into the Weeds
I have been obsessing indecisively for at least a year now over aspect ratios. We all do, of course. Specifically 4:3 vs 3:2 in my ‘uncommissioned’ works.
But first some background. Aspect ratio, or sometimes format is the width of an image in relation to it’s height. The 4:3 ratio is what typically comes out of a modern digital medium format camera: 44 mm x 33 mm. The 3:2 is what’s native to a ‘full-frame’ digital camera which is inherited from 35 mm film cameras, both of which make a 36 mm x 24 mm image.
My current cameras are of the ‘full-frame’ variety. So it would make perfect sense to just use the images it makes, as-is and be done. But I was tempted by the 4:3 shape because maybe it’s a bit more square-ish like the traditional shape of paintings—if there is such a tradition. And it’s just different. But when I produce such an image in my own camera, I have to discard some of what I capture—trim away some of what I saw while composing a photo. I reasoned to myself: “And why not? who says I have to buy off the rack, take what Leica chose for me and the world 100 years ago?
But after living with dozens of photos hacked into to an arbitrary shape on nothing much more than a whim, I think I have come to my senses and am recovering those lost expanses of width, and I am happy with my decision. Every one of the Incidental and Grain photos I stretched back to full captured width causes me to gasp in recognition of the initial discovery-through-the-looking glass I had recklessly discarded.
2025 Mar 7 Update:
Talk about your angst-ridden gnashing of teeth! I’m preparing to print the Grain collection for a show in October. I have a bigger printer now than I used to, printing as wide as 17” as opposed to the previos 13”. Now I thinks to meself, “Why trim paper in order to print the full image captured at a 3:2 ratio, when I can crop to 4:3 and use every bit of the paper as it comes out of the box?” Digging into available pre-cut sheet sizes, it turns out I can’t get the paper size I’d need for 3:2—all that’s sold in the papers I like is 22” x 17” which gives me a 1” border on all 4 edges. But only if I crop to 4:3! Sure there’s some odd stuff available in 25” x 17” but it’s not what I’m looking for.
It may be Canson (and everyone else) aims 17” printers at medium format. Kinda prejudicial, against full-frame, yes. But what can I do?
But first some background. Aspect ratio, or sometimes format is the width of an image in relation to it’s height. The 4:3 ratio is what typically comes out of a modern digital medium format camera: 44 mm x 33 mm. The 3:2 is what’s native to a ‘full-frame’ digital camera which is inherited from 35 mm film cameras, both of which make a 36 mm x 24 mm image.
My current cameras are of the ‘full-frame’ variety. So it would make perfect sense to just use the images it makes, as-is and be done. But I was tempted by the 4:3 shape because maybe it’s a bit more square-ish like the traditional shape of paintings—if there is such a tradition. And it’s just different. But when I produce such an image in my own camera, I have to discard some of what I capture—trim away some of what I saw while composing a photo. I reasoned to myself: “And why not? who says I have to buy off the rack, take what Leica chose for me and the world 100 years ago?
But after living with dozens of photos hacked into to an arbitrary shape on nothing much more than a whim, I think I have come to my senses and am recovering those lost expanses of width, and I am happy with my decision. Every one of the Incidental and Grain photos I stretched back to full captured width causes me to gasp in recognition of the initial discovery-through-the-looking glass I had recklessly discarded.
2025 Mar 7 Update:
Talk about your angst-ridden gnashing of teeth! I’m preparing to print the Grain collection for a show in October. I have a bigger printer now than I used to, printing as wide as 17” as opposed to the previos 13”. Now I thinks to meself, “Why trim paper in order to print the full image captured at a 3:2 ratio, when I can crop to 4:3 and use every bit of the paper as it comes out of the box?” Digging into available pre-cut sheet sizes, it turns out I can’t get the paper size I’d need for 3:2—all that’s sold in the papers I like is 22” x 17” which gives me a 1” border on all 4 edges. But only if I crop to 4:3! Sure there’s some odd stuff available in 25” x 17” but it’s not what I’m looking for.
It may be Canson (and everyone else) aims 17” printers at medium format. Kinda prejudicial, against full-frame, yes. But what can I do?
