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Framing your landscapes
Techniques
24 October 2007 14:26
It’s all too easy to let the format of your camera dictate how you see landscapes. Most digital and film cameras use a rectangular format, although there are cameras such as the Hasselblad Xpan for shooting letterbox-shaped panoramic images, and 6x6cm medium-format cameras which produce square pictures.
So just because your camera shoots in a particular format, it doesn’t mean that you have to shoot every image to fit this shape. Simply cropping your shot can open up a whole new interpretation to a scene. Here’s a selection of images taken at the top of Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales that show how using different formats and framing options can affect your images.
The options:
1. Horizontal panoramic. This long, thin format is tailor-made for landscape photography. There are cameras designed specifically to shoot panoramic images that make it easier to visualise, but with a little practise you can easily shoot panoramic images with your normal camera. Look for strong horizontal elements to draw the eye across the frame, and position focal points towards the left or right of the frame, off- centre. For a much bolder, more atmospheric look you could also try simplifying the composition by allowing the sky or sea to dominate the frame.
2. Upright panoramic. Instead of the more usual horizontal format, try using an upright panoramic crop. Here we’ve used a lone tree as the focal point, positioned in the
top-third of the image with the rock formations to lead the eye towards it. Look out for strong lead-in lines or foreground interest to help with your composition. If the clouds are dramatic, you could compose with the landscape to the very bottom of the frame and make the sky the main focal point.
3. Square. Most commonly used by medium-format 6x6cm cameras, the square format can be difficult to use creatively. Use the symmetrical uniformity of the format by placing a focal point near the centre of the frame. Here the tree is positioned in the middle of the horizontal but towards the top of the frame, to make the most of the dramatic rock formation in the foreground.
4. Rectangular. We may all be familiar with this format, as it’s the whole frame for both 35mm and digital cameras, but familiarity can make the pictures boring. Try using diagonal lines in the composition – such as the rock in the bottom right here – for a more dynamic feel. It’s also worth experimenting with different compositions by placing objects near the edges of the frame or putting the horizon near the top or bottom of the picture.