Aspect Ratio - The SECRET to Stunning Fine Art Photos

It can make the difference between a world-class photo and just plain rubbish. Using the right aspect ratio can bring your photography to the next level. Find out what PRO photographers consider when it comes down to cropping images and generally to decide on an aspect ratio in your photography - already out in the field!
Christian Irmler
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[@Trish12303]

Thank you Christian, very interesting content!! 🙂

[@christian.irmler]

Hi Trish, thank you so much for your kind comment 🙂 Nice greetings, Christian

[@WilliamParmley]

Brilliant!

[@christian.irmler]

Thanks a lot, William :) Nice greetings, Christian

[@chrissbayer9561]

Wieder ganz wertvolle Tipps, Christian, und wie immer hervorragend erklärt👌🏼. Hab ein schönes Wochenende mit vielen tollen Fotomotiven und liebe Grüße aus München 😊

[@christian.irmler]

Hi Chris, vielen lieben Dank, freut mich dass dir das Video gefallen hat :) Auch schöne Grüße zurück aus dem Salzkammergut, Christian

[@erichstocker8358]

Das sehr berühmte Arnold Newman Foto vom Stravinsky am Klavier zeigt wie wichtig "cropping" ist. Das hast du wieder sehr gut hergestellt--danke!

[@christian.irmler]

Hallo Erich, vielen lieben Dank! Ja, es ist definitiv schwierig, das besagte Foto anders zu croppen, ohne die Bildaussage komplett zu verändern :) Das Foto finde ich übrigens generell extrem genial durch seine Einfachkeit. Hab einen schönen Sonntag, Christian

[@carloslima6747]

As usual, a masterpiece video. See you next week.

[@christian.irmler]

Thank you so much, Carlos. Highly appreciated :) Enjoy your Sunday, see you next time, Christian

[@margareteirmler6998]

Wieder ein sehr interessantes Video!

[@christian.irmler]

Vielen Dank :)

[@joshuaziff3302]

Thanks, Christian. Just to be clear, I think you are saying that the aspect ratio should be custom for each photograph, and not necessarily one of the predetermined ones offered by a cropping tool. Correct? I had been very much of the mindset that a crop should be custom for each photograph, but then began to think predetermined or established aspect ratios became that way because they had been found to be more aesthetically pleasing and have tried using them more. This aesthetically pleasing basis is not just the aspect ratio of camera film or sensor or commercially available frames. I have even thought to look at the aspect ratio great painters used, but have done nothing. Without knowing anything about how painters choose their blank canvases, with previsuzlization do or did they say, I need a 4x5 or 5x7 or x by y? I don't know. I think I am concluding custom is best unless someone can make a case that standard aspect ratios have an aesthetic basis.

[@christian.irmler]

Hi Joshua, thanks a lot for your insights, my friend! We have to be careful here, because there is one more problem in painting: painters have to decide on their canvas already before they even start painting, landscape painters even before they hike to their spot out on location :) My grandfather (who was a homeland painter here in Austria) tended to create rough sketches on paper out in the field and then he returned later to paint the final image in oil or aquarelle. Before he returned, he decided on the fitting aspect ratio for his board for oilpaintings or paper for aquarelles. Some time ago, I had access to more than 1.000 of his paintings. I photographed them, I analyzed them and I have to say: I think, around one third were standard formats, but for the rest there were not many paintings with the same aspect ratios and even sizes. So, not a big difference to fine art photographers choosing their own aspect ratios, today. By the way, the big masters of the renaissance also used standard formats as well as non standardized formats as my grandfather did. The aspect ratio has definitely an effect on the viewer. And I think, this is an additional element in composition that can help us to support the image, even to support the mood of it. We should not become slaves of aspect ratios. Sometimes the standard formats work well, but sometimes it is better to just crop in slightly to get the better composition. Or in other words: I rather get the best possible composition than using a standard format :) Thank you for watching. Nice greetings, Christian

[@joshuaziff3302]

@@christian.irmler Thanks so much for the in depth response and, especially, for the research and report on the very thing I thought about investigating. I agree, crop for what is best for each photo.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Cropping plays such an important role Christian as you explained well. You showed some great examples. I seem to always be cropping 16:9 lately, maybe I will try something different. Incredible the difference it can make to a composition. Thanks for sharing the video buddy 👍🙏

[@christian.irmler]

Hi Adrian, that's interesting. I also found myself experiementing more in last time and it is amazing how it seems to transform and improve my photography. Something more in a pano ratio like 16:9 can really support in some cases. Just difficult to a post an image like that then on Instagram or Vero :) Thanks a lot for watching, buddy! Have a great Sunday, Christian

[@robertray1284]

I also started cropping to 16:9. Photos and screen shots. Run the images as slide show on 1920x1080 monitor.. Takes some time. Comes from bad eyes.

[@850Tech]

Thank you friend. Recently got a Sony body for the first time ( A6400). After long years with canon. Thanks for the free wallpapers. I have a question can you give some decent quality variable ND brands. ? I can’t buy super expensive ones though. Some one told K&F concept is good. I donno.

[@christian.irmler]

Hi 850Tech, congrats to your A6400, that's a great camera! Besides my A7rIV I also have some cameras of the A6000 series. They are really good. Thank you so much for downloading my wallpapers. I hope you'll enjoy using them on your devices 🙂 To your filter question: Honestly, I tried so many different filters of different filter brands over the years, cheap ones and expensive ones, but in the end I stuck with quality. I'm not talking about image quality only, but also usability. And it doesn't need to be the most expensive ones, of course. One important aspect that gets often overlooked on filter choice is that a good filter lasts for quite long - much longer than a cheap filter would. A quality filter will very likely get older than your camera and even your next one. So, looking at the longer term, is a quality filter really more expensive than multiple cheap filters? Or is the cheap one maybe even more expensive? There are multiple aspects I consider when it comes down to deciding on a new filter. I made a comprehensive video about what I look at when I'm deciding on a new filter. I'm sure that will help you on your decision. Here the video link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3-rq2WcepieoJo I don't talk about VND's in that video though, I talk about CPL and ND'S, but everything I mentioned is usable for every type of filter. I hope this helps 🙂 Nice greetings, Christian

[@850Tech]

@@christian.irmler first of all the wallpapers were fantastic. They shine on my desktop. I will watch the video you shared. Your outdoor walking camping videos of photography are amazing and adventurous. It inspires me to go out and shoot ( of course with my little a6400 and the Kit lens 😊).

[@thomaseriksson6256]

I like the HB Pan look or 6x6 squares and 6x9 look but I don't have a camera with High Mpix to make them useful. Therefore I’m saving to a 45 Mix D850 and later to a Fuji GFX100S if there is not a Nikon 55Mpix camera released in the future. I like to create the picture in the camera not in the computer. I can crop in the computer to get a clean image. Also you need to take into account the print. I need to learn to print. My results when using a printer service is saturated colours so I need to try a BW print, I have an Old Eiso Monitor that is calibrated..

[@christian.irmler]

Hi Thomas, yes absolutely - I also love the create the image in my camera rather on my computer. Actually, I create them even before I use a camera, just as imagination in my head :) For your printing question: don't trust the manufacturer's calibration, it should be done by yourself. And not every monitor is good enough here. There are different criterions to be considered. I can recommend to watch this video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6rQe55vmraNgbc Thanks a lot for watching, my friend :) Enjoy your Sunday, Christian