Best aspect ratio for landscape photography
Best Aspect Ratios for Landscape Photography in Iceland |...
By Serena Dzenis
Verified Expert
Jump to chapter
- What is the Aspect Ratio?
- What is the Aspect Ratio of Most DSLR Cameras?
- How Does the Aspect Ratio Affect Your Landscape Photography?
- What is the Best Aspect Ratio to use for Landscape Photography in Iceland?
- 1:1 – The Square Format
- 4:3 – The Medium Format
- 3:2 - The 35mm Format
- 3:1 – The Panoramic Format
- 16:9 - The Widescreen Panoramic Format
- What Happens to the Aspect Ratios if you Shoot in Portrait Mode?
- What the Correct Aspect Ratio Means for You
Aspect ratios are an integral part of landscape photography in Iceland, though they may not initially seem very important at the time when you’re lining up your camera in front of Vestrahorn for a shot. For most people, choosing an aspect ratio often doesn’t even come to mind until they find themselves sitting down in front of a computer to do some post-processing.
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If you’ve been looking at other people’s photos of Iceland, then you’ll notice that not all of them follow the same aspect ratios. In fact, most of them don’t even follow the default aspect ratios set by their cameras.
The reason for these deviations is that sometimes, a certain scene may simply work better with a particular aspect ratio.
See all toursTo make it a little bit easier for you to choose the best aspect ratio to use for your landscape photography in Iceland, let’s take a further look at what the aspect ratio really is, how it can affect the way that people look at your photographs and how you can utilise different aspect ratios to make the most of the landscapes that you’ll be trying to shoot.
- See also: How to Become a Professional Landscape Photographer
What is the Aspect Ratio?
The aspect ratio is how we describe the width and height of your photos. It is expressed as a numerical figure in the form of width:height, with the width always coming first in that sequence. There is not actually anything more to it.
What is the Aspect Ratio of Most DSLR Cameras?
Most full frame cameras use an aspect ratio of 3:2 Photo by: '© A.
Savin, Wikimedia Commons'
There are two main aspect ratios that are used by digital cameras.
An aspect ratio of 3:2 is used by 35mm crop sensor and full-frame DSLR cameras, as well as some Leica medium format cameras, mirrorless cameras and high-end compact cameras, regardless of their sensor size or the number of megapixels. The numbers here simply mean that the frame is one and a half times as wide as it is high.
The other commonly used aspect ratio is 4:3, which is employed by micro four-thirds cameras, many compact cameras, and some medium format digital cameras.
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How Does the Aspect Ratio Affect Your Landscape Photography?
The aspect ratio you choose to use can change your composition.
Photo by: 'Pixabay'.
Put quite simply, whichever aspect ratio that you choose to use for your landscape photography in Iceland can either make or break your composition.
Having an awareness of the characteristics of different aspect ratios, as well as the default aspect ratio of your camera, can help you to better compose your images. This also comes in handy during post-processing, when you’ll be able to visualise how cropping to a different aspect ratio can actually improve the overall composition of the final image.
By being aware of the characteristics of different aspect ratios, you can use them to your advantage in emphasising the subject, to remove distractions within the frame and to help you balance the scene in front of you.
What is the Best Aspect Ratio to use for Landscape Photography in Iceland?
When shooting landscapes, which is the best aspect ratio to use? Photo by: 'Iurie Belegurschi'.
You probably already know what we’re going to say. Unfortunately, there is no single best aspect ratio to use for your landscape photography in Iceland.
Having said that, there are some things that you should take into consideration when shooting that will help you to choose the best aspect ratio to use for capturing the scene at hand.
The key to picking an aspect ratio that will suit the scene you are trying to capture is to match the crop with your subject.
So let’s look at some of the more common aspect ratios in landscape photography and how you can apply them to your own images to create compelling and creative landscape images of Iceland.
- See also: How to Use Smartphone Camera Modes for Amazing Landscape Photography
1:1 – The Square Format
The square format is used for Instagram. Photo by: 'Iurie Belegurschi'.
The square format was traditionally used by medium format film cameras such as the Hasselblad and Rolleiflex back in the day. These days, you’ll see it most often gracing your mobile phone screen on social media applications like Instagram.
The square format is best used for simplifying an image and for giving your subject an incredible presence within the frame. It does this by allowing you to break the rules of composition and to centre your subject or even the horizon, as well as to work symmetrically to balance the elements within the frame.
You’ll find that doing so will only strengthen your composition, as opposed to weakening it as it would in other aspect ratios.
The reason for this is quite simple. Usually, our eyes intrinsically move from the left of a frame towards the right as we search through or ‘read’ an image. With a 1:1 square crop though, our eyes tend to land right in the middle of the frame, particularly if the elements have been arranged with care.
You can use this particular aspect ratio to help you to tighten your composition and to create an impactful scene.
Since the width and height of a 1:1 crop are equal, this aspect ratio can be used for displaying both horizontal and vertical subjects, such as waterfalls. This format is also well-suited to minimal landscapes, like lava fields or a single piece of ice that has washed ashore on the Diamond Ice Beach near the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.
- See also: 8 Tips to Improve Your Landscape Photographs
4:3 – The Medium Format
Some medium format cameras use the 4:3 aspect ratio. Photo by: 'Pxhere'.
The 4:3 format is used by micro four-thirds cameras, most compact cameras, some digital medium format cameras, as well as medium format film cameras. It is also used by non-widescreen televisions and computer monitors.
With this particular format, the image is wider than it is tall.
As such, the eye will naturally want to move from the left of the image through to the right. This format is perfect when you want to minimise the details at the edges of your frame, while still having some height. Given that the frame remains relatively tall, you can use it in combination with a wide-angle lens to lead your viewer’s eye through the landscape by enhancing leading lines from the foreground into your subject.
One example of this is with the basalt rock formation Hvítserkur in the north of Iceland, where patterns in the sand at low-tide can point towards the ‘drinking dragon’ itself.
By using a 4:3 format, you will be able to capture the entire depth of the scene.
- See also: All You Need to Know About Photography at Hvitserkur in Iceland
3:2 - The 35mm Format
The 3:2 format is the most common aspect ratio for landscape photography. Photo by: 'Iurie Belegurschi'.
The 3:2 format is the most common aspect ratio used in landscape photography today and is the mainstay of 35mm digital and film cameras, a few Leica medium format cameras, mirrorless cameras as well as some high-end compact cameras. With this particular aspect ratio, the width is significantly longer than the height. Once again, this encourages the eye to move from the left of the image towards the right.
The 3:2 format is great for capturing leading lines inside an ice cave. Photo by: 'Iurie Belegurschi'.
With the 3:2 format, you will be able to capture a great deal of the scene in front of you, but you will also need to pay close attention to your composition as there is so much to the left and the right of the frame that your subject may get a little bit lost in the detail.
However, this aspect ratio is great for making the most of diagonal leading lines that lead into something of interest, such as the frozen formations within an ice cave curving around towards the opening of the cave itself.
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- See also: The Ultimate Guide to Photographing Ice Caves in Iceland
3:1 – The Panoramic Format
Much of the nature in Iceland is made up of vast, sweeping landscapes and there is no better way to capture them than in the form of a panorama. The 3:1 aspect ratio is supported by a number of medium format cameras, but can also be achieved by stitching 2 or more images of other aspect ratios together.
With this format, you’ll be able to capture the sheer grandeur of everything that you see before you, though that doesn’t mean that you can just point and shoot at anything with complete disregard for the composition. A 3:1 crop is well-suited to the immense beauty of the Icelandic landscape if you use it in a minimalistic fashion. Doing so accentuates the feeling of space, bringing to life for the viewer exactly how it must feel to be dwarfed by nature itself.
When using the 3:1 format, you should position your subject towards the right side of the frame, keeping in mind that the viewer’s eye usually moves from the left to the right.
This will keep the viewer’s interest until they have finished exploring the breadth of your image. If you play your cards right with intriguing elements within the foreground, then you’ll also be able to give the viewer a sense of depth as their eye travels through the shot.
- See also: The Best Camera Gear Recommendations for Photography in Iceland
16:9 - The Widescreen Panoramic Format
The widescreen panoramic format is exactly that – what you tend to see on widescreen TVs and computer monitors. Although it is used by some panoramic film cameras, you will usually be able to crop into 16:9 by using software during post-processing.
With the 16:9 format, it is difficult to lead the viewer’s eye in from the foreground. Rather, the scene becomes compressed in height, making up for it with expansive width. As such, it is best to use longer focal lengths or zoom lenses from a distance when composing a widescreen panoramic shot, which will allow you to present the landscape in a much more creative way.
The kinds of landscapes that are perfect for this aspect ratio include waves rolling in at the black sand beach of Reynisfjara, the rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar, as well as the massively large crater lakes to be found in the Icelandic Highlands.
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What Happens to the Aspect Ratios if you Shoot in Portrait Mode?
When shooting in portrait mode, certain aspect ratios may be too tall for you to balance the composition of the Icelandic landscape throughout the frame.
For example, with the 16:9 format, the frame becomes too long for you to fill the frame effectively.
So when you photograph Iceland in portrait mode, consider using an aspect ratio with a smaller height, such as 4:3. This will ensure that you minimise the risk of creating an imbalance in your overall composition, whether that’s with excessive amounts of sky, middle ground or foreground.
- See also: The Power of Foreground in Landscape Photography of Iceland
What the Correct Aspect Ratio Means for You
Although the aspect ratio isn’t everything, when it is combined with composition, it makes up an important part of landscape photography in Iceland. While digital cameras may have default aspect ratios for the images they create, technology these days means that we no longer have to be confined by these limitations.
Just because your camera is a certain format doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to change the aspect ratio later on during post-processing to suit the landscape that you have photographed.
So keep in mind that the aspect ratio is just another creative tool that you have in your arsenal to help you make amazing photos of Iceland. By choosing the best aspect ratio to suit the scene, you can enhance the way that people look at your photographs and elevate an otherwise great composition into something that is truly exceptional.
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About the author: Serena Dzenis is a landscape photographer based in Iceland.
You can find more of her work on her website or by following her on Facebook and Instagram.
Develop your photography skills in the wild and beautiful nature of Iceland. Join one of our photography tours and workshops today!
How to Choose the Best Aspect Ratio for Landscape Photo Size
Aspect ratio is the shape of your image. It is the relationship between the width and the height of the frame.
You’re not limited to the native aspect ratio of your camera and viewfinder. By creatively using aspect ratios, you can influence how viewers interpret your images.
Let’s explore the choices you have and the best aspect ratio for landscape photography.
Landscape in 4:3 aspect ratio. This cuts of the left and right sides, but the visual interest is in the centre of the frame.What Are Aspect Ratios?
An aspect ratio is the relationship of width to the height of your image. This relationship is expressed as a proportion.
Common ratios are 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 16:9, and 2:1. The ratios can go either way. 3:2 is the same as 2:3.
A 1:1 aspect ratio means that the height and width of your image are the same. You have a square. A 3:2 aspect ratio means that one side of your image is 50% longer than the other. A 3:1 aspect ratio means that one side is three times the length of the other.
Comparison of aspect ratios of 1:1, 16:9, 2:1, and 3:1. Notice what is included and what is cropped out of the frame.Each aspect ratio can be converted to many sizes. For instance, an 8×10 photo has a ratio of 4:5. A photo with this ratio can be printed at 4×5”, 8×10”, or 16×20”. The proportions and the shape of the image will be the same.
Aspect ratios also convert to pixels. Your sensor size determines the number of pixels along each edge. But the proportion of pixels will follow the native ratio of your camera. For instance, my 24 MP camera creates 6000×4000 pixel images. This is a 3:2 ratio.
Landscape vs Portrait Orientation
The image can be in landscape orientation, with the width being longer than the height.
Or portrait orientation where the height of your image is more than the width. Both can work in landscape photography. If there is more vertical interest, consider portrait orientation. If there is more horizontal interest, landscape orientation is your best choice.
Selecting an Aspect Ratio in Landscape Photography
Your camera has a default aspect ratio. For many cameras, this ratio is 3:2. Using a micro four-thirds system, your camera is shooting in a 4:3 ratio (“four-thirds”). This is also the ratio used by iPhones and other mobile cameras.
Your camera uses this ratio by default, but you don’t have to keep that image shape.
Some cameras can switch out of their native aspect ratio. The iPhone, for example, can switch easily between 4:3, 1:1, and 16:9.
The benefit is that you can quickly see how different aspect ratios change the impact of your image. But do not permanently limit your options. Later, you may decide to reshape your image.
It is helpful in the field to be able to visualize how the composition looks in different ratios. But many photographers use their native aspect ratio in the field. Then, change the aspect ratio later in post-processing. But have an idea of what aspect ratio might work best before you take the shot. There is nothing worse than getting your image home and finding out that you didn’t leave enough room for cropping. The image many need cropping, and you want to make sure you have captured enough of the scene to allow you flexibility in post-processing.
Cropping in Post-Processing
It is helpful in the field to be able to visualize how the composition looks with different shapes.
But many photographers use their camera’s native aspect ratio in the field. Then, they change the image shape later in post-processing.
But have an idea of what frame shape might work best before you take the shot. There is nothing worse than finding out later that you didn’t leave enough room for cropping. You want to have captured enough of the scene to allow flexibility in post-processing. Many photo editing programs have aspect ratio cropping-presets built-in.
Screenshot of Lightroom cropping tool. Lightroom includes aspect ratio presets, or you can make a custom size.When you crop to an aspect ratio, you can adjust where the main elements of your composition fall in the frame. You can zoom in and remove extra space and distractions around the centre of interest. You can move the subject left or right, up or down in the frame. You can even flip the image if it looks better.
Which Aspect Ratio is Best for Landscape Photography?
There is really no best aspect ratio for landscape photography.
The best ratio depends on where the visual interest is in your composition. Each of the standard aspect ratios has pros and cons. Some will work better with some scenes than others.
Look particularly for foreground elements. Also, how much the sky contributes to the overall composition. Some image shapes give you too much sky in landscapes. If the sky is not interesting, then including it waters down the impact of your photo. If the sky adds nothing to the image, use a different aspect ratio and crop it out.
If most of the visual interest lies left to right along the horizon, use a shape that emphasizes the width of your photo. A panoramic aspect ratio like 16:9 may be best. If there is both vertical and horizontal interest, use a ratio that balances the height and width. An aspect ratio like 4:5 may be best. This may happen when you have a foreground element or when your photograph includes an interesting sky.
This image has both vertical and horizontal interest. The aspect ratio of 4:3 emphasizes both.
Square 1:1 Aspect Ratio
Let’s start with the square 1:1 aspect ratio that is popular on Instagram. This image shape was also very popular with medium format film cameras. Use this shape when there is a clear centre of interest. Also, when there is equal visual interest vertically and horizontally. The focus is on a central subject.
An aspect ratio of 1:1 works best for images with a central feature that is interesting both vertically and horizontally.Rectangular 4:5, 4:3, and 3:2 Aspect Ratios
Many of the common aspect ratios are rectangular. One side is longer than the other, but they may be almost square. Use one of these ratios when there is both vertical and horizontal interest in the scene.
You may have a landscape stretching across the horizon. But you may also have an interesting sky or a foreground element. If there is depth to your image, then choose an aspect ratio that has some height and width.
This landscape has a lot of height as well as horizontal interest.
Compare the original 3:2 aspect ratio with a crop for 5:4 and 4:3 aspect ratios.With a zoom lens, you can compose your scene in-camera using the native aspect ratio. No cropping is needed later.
These are common aspect ratios, but the images may look a bit squished. That, or there is too much unappealing sky.
Panoramic 16:8, 2:1, and 3:1 Aspect Ratios
When we describe a photo as panoramic, we are not talking about one aspect ratio. Many ratios fall into the category of panorama. The thing that links them together is a long, thin shape, usually in landscape orientation. A common ratio for panoramas is 16:9. But 2:1 (16:8) is also common. You may have other panoramic options like 16:10 or 3:1.
16:9 panorama the interest in the mountain and reflection lies along the horizon, making it a perfect scene for a panorama.In landscape photography, panoramas are often in landscape orientation. But they do not have to be. For example, if you have a vertical line of interest like a Milky Way shot with a foreground element, a vertical panorama may be the right shape for your scene.
Panoramas are often created by stitching many images together. Some cameras have a panorama setting. You pan over a scene while the camera automatically takes and combines many photos.
Or you can manually take individual images across a scene. Then, stitch them together using photo editing programs like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.
Non-Standard Aspect Ratios
Every image has a width to height ratio. But the relationship does not have to conform to one of the common ratios. There are many common aspect ratios, but you do not have to use them. You can crop an image to any shape you want to enhance your unique composition. You do not need to cut off anything of interest or include non-interesting aspects of the scene.
It is more difficult to print and frame images with non-standard shapes. But if you primarily show images online, then using a traditional aspect ratio may not matter.
Printing Aspect Ratios
There is one more thing to think about when choosing an aspect ratio for your landscape photo. The plan to print and frame your landscape photos also impacts the shape you choose. Common aspect ratios on cameras do not necessarily equate to common printing or framing sizes.
One of the most common aspect ratios in digital photography is 3:2. You can print images that are 6×4”, 12×8”, and 18×12”. You can print these, but it may be more challenging to find mats and frames for these prints. The 4:5 ratio is much more common in framing. The sizes for this aspect ratio are the widely available 8×10 and 24×30.
Printing square prints is more common in this Instagram world. But panoramas will be more challenging to print and frame. Printing a non-standard image shape likely needs custom mats and frames. This can become expensive. Or consider adding whitespace around the image to create a standard shape.
Conclusion
Selecting the best aspect ratio to use for your landscape photos depends on the composition. The shape of your image should enhance the composition and keep your viewer’s attention in the frame. You may find yourself gravitating towards one aspect ratio. Or you may vary aspect ratios for different scenes.
If you’re ready to learn more about landscape photography, check out our Simply Stunning Landscapes eBook.
How Aspect Ratio Affects Composition in a Landscape Shooting Example
Composition is often the key between good landscape photography and great landscape photography. But the aspect ratio of a photo can make or break a composition, emphasize a subject and eliminate distractions, or throw the whole picture off balance. When looking through the viewfinder and about to press the shutter button, it's helpful to try to visualize the final shot, including its aspect ratio, to optimize the composition.
by Andrew S.Gibson
But how does aspect ratio affect composition?
Aspect ratio is a term used to describe the dimensions of an image by comparing the width with the height and expressing it as a ratio.
The aspect ratio of images is primarily determined by the size of the camera's sensor (or the type of film plus the design of the camera if the camera is film-based). Because these physical aspects are fixed, it's easy to take the aspect ratio of images for granted and not really think about the implications of the aspect ratio used in the composition.
Camera manufacturers have realized that sometimes photographers like to work with a wide range of options, and the latest digital cameras allow you to change the aspect ratio setting using the camera menu. You can also crop the image so that you can then change the setting in post-processing. Why does aspect ratio matter?
Knowing the aspect ratio characteristics of your particular camera can help produce better images.
It will also help you recognize when cropping to a different aspect ratio can improve the composition of the resulting picture.
What is aspect ratio?
The aspect ratio describes the relationship between the width and height of an image. Written as a figure, in this form - width:height (width always comes first).
Almost every digital camera is equipped with a sensor in one of two image formats.
3:2
This is the ratio used by 35mm crop factor and full frame SLR cameras, some Leica medium format cameras, mirrorless cameras, high end compact cameras and most 35mm film cameras.
We've had it since Leica launched the first 35mm film cameras at the turn of the last century. 35mm crop factor cameras and full frame DSLRs have an aspect ratio of 3:2. The width of the sensor is 1.5 times its height.
The 35mm full frame image sensor measures 36x24mm. You can express this as a 36:24 ratio.
Mathematicians always like to simplify the relationship between two numbers in a way that is easy to visualize. In this case, you can divide both measurements by twelve. This gives 3:2. Crop factor cameras have smaller sensors measuring approximately 22.5x15mm (exact dimensions vary by brand and model). These figures correspond to a 3:2 aspect ratio for a full frame sensor.
4:3
This aspect ratio is used by micro cameras, many compact cameras, some medium format digital cameras and medium format film cameras using 6x4.5 cm format.
Let's compare them. You can see that the 3:2 format used by most DSLRs is slightly longer than the 4:3 used by micro cameras.
This may not seem like much, but it is important for the composition. Take a look at the following images to see why. Below is a photo of the original 35mm version with a 3:2 aspect ratio.
And here's the same image, cropped to an aspect ratio of 4:3 , as if it were taken with a 4:3 micro camera.
See the difference? It's subtle, but it's still there. 35mm frame is longer. And the task can be quite difficult when it comes to composition, because you have to find a way to fill this length efficiently. Landscape photography in particular often benefits from a shorter frame, and this is one of the reasons why the medium format 6x7 cm (7:6 aspect ratio) is so popular among landscape photographers who use film cameras. Here is how the same landscape will look in the following formats.
The aspect ratio of 7:6 may seem too short, but 5:4 is a very nice aspect ratio to work with.
It may seem to you that the difference between the proportions does not have any particular significance. And often when you're using a landscape format (i.e. a camera positioned so the frame is horizontal), the difference is minimal. It's not that hard to work in any of the above formats.
But switch to portrait format (vertical frame) and it's a completely different story.
A 35mm frame suddenly becomes a lot harder to fill effectively, and composition often benefits from cropping to a shorter rectangle. Below you see some examples to demonstrate this effect.
The difficulty the photographer had in shooting landscapes is that there was too much empty sky in the original image. The problem was solved by framing. The 4:5 aspect ratio seems to work well.
Of course, not all images will benefit from cropping to a shorter rectangle. But if you find it difficult to fill the frame, especially if you have a 3:2 aspect ratio 35mm camera, then you may well benefit from using a different aspect ratio.
Camera aspect ratio adjustment
Many modern digital cameras allow you to adjust the aspect ratio using the camera menu. If your camera has an electronic viewfinder, it may display a cropped image in it.
If your camera does not have an electronic viewfinder, you will need to use Live View to take advantage of the aspect ratio feature.
The camera will display the cropped image on the camera's LCD screen.
You should be aware that if you use the JPEG format, the camera crops the image, and you can no longer restore the cropped part of the image. If you are using RAW, the camera will save the image captured by the entire sensor, and you can make a cropping decision in post-processing. Check the camera manual for details if you have any doubts.
Crop in post-processing
It is often easier to crop a frame in post-processing. If your camera doesn't have an aspect ratio feature, this is your only option. Another advantage of this method is that you can go back to old images to see what's best.
Now let's look at each format in more detail.
1:1 - square
The square format can often be used to simplify the image and give the subject a striking presence in the center of the frame. Leaving the width equal to the height changes the way the viewer reads the photo, as there is less need to move around the frame from left to right.
The square format provides a good opportunity to break the rules we so often follow - position the horizon along the center of the image or place the subject in the center of the frame, and the composition can only become stronger. You will often see a 1:1 aspect ratio used to emphasize minimalism (again, back to the issue of simplification).
A 1:1 aspect ratio is used to add simplicity to this image
4:3 - 4/3 aspect ratio
This aspect ratio is the default aspect ratio for cameras that use 4:3 sensors. The image is wide rather than tall, which means that the eye is naturally drawn to move across the image from left to right.
Given that the image is fairly tall relative to its width, this ratio is ideal for directing the eye into the painting through leading lines of foreground interest. The relative height of the image encourages the use of wide-angle focal lengths to capture the depth of the picture in the image without capturing unnecessary detail at the edge of each frame.
4:3 aspect ratio captures close foreground details and leading lines to draw the eye into the image
6:4 aspect ratio - 35mm (also called 3:2)
This is the default aspect ratio for 35mm film and therefore for full-frame and APS-C sensors used in most Nikon/Canon cameras. The width of the image is much larger than the height, which again encourages the viewer to read the image from left to right, and again diagonal guide lines can help.
The limitation of this aspect ratio is that the height is much smaller compared to the width, and therefore capturing foreground detail with a wide-angle lens becomes more difficult due to the limited vertical space to work with. This can cause the objects in the frame to become too dispersed and therefore lose their impact.
The 6:4 aspect ratio may, however, be the right aspect ratio for shooting scenes with little or no foreground interest at mid-range focal lengths (eg 35mm).
An aspect ratio of 6:4 is used here as foreground details are not captured but the scene still has a wide aspect
16:9 - widescreen panoramic
This format was supported in film by the Advanced Photo System (APS) at its inception and has recently become more popular due to the prevalence of 16:9 aspect ratio displays in home use - TVs, computer monitors, mobile devices.
This format dominates the width of the image, which means it is difficult to move the viewer's eye away from the foreground, but this format is ideal for presenting parts of landscapes shot at long focal lengths (i.e., with zoom lenses) from a distance.
A wide and narrow 16:9 format was used here to accentuate the horizontal stripes of color
12:6 or 18:6 - panoramic format (also called 2:1 or 3:1)
The 12:6 or 18:6 aspect ratio was chosen as panoramic here for several reasons. Both 2:1 and 3:1 seem to be fairly well supported in panoramic images. 2:1 is a panoramic format supported by a number of medium format film cameras, while 3:1 is APS. Typically, panoramic ratios are used to represent the result of joining two or more images.
It's quite difficult to capture a 3:1 aspect ratio image from a single frame, and it will be large enough to print at any meaningful size - and often, in order to be stitched together with another frame, the picture will be taken using a longer focal length to bring out details away from the landscape.
There is no real possibility to include foreground details in this case.
An 18:6 (3:1) ultra-wide aspect ratio was used to present this panorama of 7 stitched images taken using a focal length of approx. 140mm
Portrait mode
In order for a landscape shot to work, the composition needs to be balanced across the frame, and an aspect ratio like 6:4 makes this difficult because of too much height relative to its width.
To make a "portrait" landscape perfect, thicker rectangles with an aspect ratio of 4:3, 7:6 or 5:4 are suitable, and 5:4, in turn, is actively used by professional landscape photographers for medium and large cameras format. These formats allow you to look at the image, still from left to right, without too much space allotted for the sky, unbalancing the frame.
Left to right: 6:4, 4:3, 5:4. Which one looks better?
What proportions to choose for landscape photography
Frame composition quite often distinguishes a good landscape photo from an outstanding one.
There are often quoted rules that we all equally try to adhere to, such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, the golden spiral, and so on. But by focusing on what we're trying to capture in a frame, we often don't consider the frame itself. Here you will find tips on how to determine the aspect ratio of an image to have a positive effect on the composition of the frame.
The format of a photograph can play a decisive role in the composition of a scene, emphasizing the subject and removing distractions, balancing the scene or unbalancing it. Therefore, it is useful to use the viewfinder, looking through which you can preview the result of the picture, then press the shutter. Including, you should pay attention to the aspect ratio in order to optimize the composition. After all, very often the photographer states an unsuccessful compositional choice and he has to edit the aspect ratio during post-processing.
Probably, some of you are now thinking, but how to influence the composition of the frame by the image format? In this article, we will discuss several basic proportions with examples and explanations of the benefits of using each of them.
And also in what situation it is appropriate to apply one or another format.
Please note that we do not consider such an argument as cropping photos in order to give the image proportions, since such manipulations damage the image. Instead, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with certain ratios, the strict adherence to which is more than advisable.
Square Format - 1:1
The square format can often be used to simplify the image and give a striking effect of having the subject in the center of the frame. By keeping the width equal to the height in your photo, you will reduce the need to move left or right in the frame. In addition, the square format provides excellent opportunities to break the rules. For example, you can place the horizon in the center of the image or an object in the middle of the frame, and the composition will only intensify. Often, a 1:1 aspect ratio is used to emphasize minimalism, that is, to simplify.
1:1 aspect ratio used to simplify this image
Four thirds aspect ratio - 4:3
This aspect ratio is used by default on cameras that use four thirds of the sensor.
In this case, the image is wider than it is tall, meaning that the viewer's eyes tend to move left and right across the image.
Given the fact that the height is still relatively large in relation to the width, this image is great for leading lines that take the eye across the scene from the foreground to the main interest. A wide-angle focal length is recommended for this option to capture the depth of the scene in the image without capturing unnecessary detail at the edges of each frame.
The 4:3 format captures the smallest details of the plan and leading lines to draw attention to the image
35mm format - 6:4 or so-called 3:2
This ratio is the default for 35mm film, and therefore for full-frame sensors and the APS-C format used in most Nikon and Canon cameras. In this case, the width of the image is much greater than the height, which again encourages left-to-right reading of the image, so diagonal leading lines can work well. The limitation of this ratio is that the height is much shorter than the width.
Therefore, capturing fine foreground details with a wide-angle lens becomes more and more difficult due to the limited vertical space that you can work with. This can lead to fragmentation of objects in the frame. But the 6:4 aspect ratio is suitable for shooting scenes from the middle of the focal length range (for example, 35 mm), where there is no clear interest in the foreground.
A 6:4 aspect ratio is used here as there is no nearby detail to capture in the foreground and the scene benefits from a wide shot.
16:9 widescreen panoramic
This format is supported by the APS sensor, which has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the prevalence of the 16:9 aspect ratio used in home TVs, computer monitors and mobile devices. This format dominates the width of the image, making it difficult to draw the viewer from the foreground into the frame, but the format is ideal for representing part of the landscape when shooting with a zoom lens at longer focal lengths.
A 16:9 wide aspect ratio has been used here to emphasize the horizontal color bars.
Panoramic format - 12:6 or 18:6 (2:1 or 3:1)
2:1 is a panoramic format supported by a number of medium format film cameras, 3:1 is typical for APS sensors. Typically, to create panoramic images, stitching 2 or more images together is used. Capturing an image with a 3:1 aspect ratio is quite difficult. Stitched shots are often shot at long focal lengths in order to bring out distant details in a landscape. In this option, there is no way to include the central detail in the foreground.
An ultra wide aspect ratio of 18:6 (3:1) was used to present this panorama of 7 stitched photographs taken with a focal length of approx. 140mm
Portrait mode
We have discussed a number of different aspect ratios in landscape format, not portrait mode. And we did this for the reason that there will be much fewer options for a successful presentation of the landscape in a “portrait” format.
Because for a panoramic image, it is necessary to balance the composition throughout the frame in a proportion, for example, 6: 4. When the height of the image in many ways exceeds the width, then this is extremely difficult to do. For landscapes in "portrait" format, wider rectangles such as 4:3, 7:6, or 5:4 will do. The latter is extremely popular with professional landscape photographers using medium and large format cameras. Such formats allow the viewer's eye to slide across a balanced frame without excessive amounts of sky from left to right.
Left to right: 6:4, 4:3, 5:4. Which one looks better?
Conclusion
While there are descriptions of specific uses for certain aspect ratios, it is clear that not all scenes should be strictly followed. Some images may also work fine in a ratio that is the opposite of what the rules are.
However, we hope this introduction to aspect ratio will give you something to think about when composing your shot before pressing the shutter button.
