Just because you're restricted to the 3:2 aspect ratio of a standard DSLR it doesn't mean you can't experiment with other formats, writes Tony Bridge.
The aspect ratio of an image is simply the proportion of its width to its height. Most DSLRs produce images with an aspect ratio of 3:2, though some (Olympus and Panasonic interchangeable-lens cameras) produce images in the "squarer" 4:3 ratio.
Aspect ratio has an incredibly powerful effect on the way we read photographs.
Sometimes the scene in front of you will not be an easy fit for the format you're using. And sometimes, you'll find that a scene simply works better with a different aspect ratio. A wide desert landscape is not easily shoehorned into the 3:2 or 4:3 format of most cameras. Similarly, some portraits simply look better in square, 1:1, format.
Importantly, just because your camera produces images in the 3:2 or 4:3 format it doesn't mean you can't change that format to suit your creative goals – either by cropping or by stitching several images together.
Cropping to square (1:1) produces a more old-style formal rendition, while stitching several images together to produce a single panoramic image is an effective way to capture the full breadth of a landscape.
Panoramic stitching software is widely available these days and mostly easy to use. Some cameras even allow you to stitch images in camera. If you are using panoramic stitching software, you'll get best results if use a use a tripod and maintain the same exposure accross each of the images you intend to stitch together.
The images below show some of the aspect ratios commonly used by photographers – if you're willing to experiment, you'll soon find the format that work best for a particular scene.
Tony Bridge is a New Zealand-based professional photographer. See more of his images at www.thistonybridge.com
The square format (1:1) creates a classic, formal look.
The 4:3 format is the default aspect ratio used by Olympus and Panasonic in
their DSLR and hybrid interchangeable-lens cameras.
The most commonly used image format – 3:2.
The 16:9 format is offered by some cameras and is based on the aspect ratio of films and HD
television.
The advent of photo stitching has given photographers the opportunity to create wider images, without trading
resolution. This image is 2:1 format.