The square format has earned a rabid reputation since the foray of some social networks, including Instagram, by now there may be those who think it is a new phenomenon, coming from the hand of the smartphone, nothing further from reality, this format has existed for many years and new technologies are only making it popular and are putting it on the podium of fame.
I must confess, although it is not exactly a secret, that I am a fan of this format, I like it. When I photograph with the SLR not so much, but when I do it with my mobile, it is rare that I do not photograph using the 1:1 ratio. And if I don’t do it at the moment, when editing, if the image allows it, I end up cutting it, I don’t know if it’s a matter of nostalgia or what, but now that I spend a few days in my mother’s house showing my daughter the pictures of my childhood, I realize that all my childhood the memories are encapsulated in a square , maybe that’s why I like the place, or maybe because I developed a lot of my photographic eye looking at square photographs.
- The question is.
- Is a square format image composed in the same way as one in standard format?Well.
- Yes and no.
- They have similarities but also differences.
- There are certain scenes.
- Patterns or composition techniques that are very good in 1:1 and not so much in the standard and vice versa.
- That’s why today I’m going to dedicate this article to offer you some tips for composing your photo inside a square.
- Are you staying?.
In square compositions the centering of the subject (or object) works very well, in the panoramic format you must find a balance that is not so necessary in the square, because the square itself is already balanced, you can even place the horizon in the middle without scared because it looks good!
It is true that to photograph landscapes the square format is not the most suitable or the most flattering, however, if there are roads, rivers or any other element forming a line (straight or curved) in the scene, try to include it in the scene. frame, you will see that in this case the result is very different and worth it.
Including square lines is always a hit, whether straight, curved, construction or road, obvious or suggested. Here are some examples.
Another option that is very good is to place the pattern in a corner, or on an edge, also cut, that is, completely fills the border space.
Negative space is another great compositional resource that you can use on your 1: 1 photos that offers excellent results, leaves a clear image, and focuses all your attention on the subject.
Geometric shapes are also very favored with the square format, perhaps it is because of the particular geometry it offers, by symmetry or balance, we do not need to know the cause, the important thing is to know that it works (and very well).
Less is more. We’ve said it over and over again on the blog (and we’ll continue to do it), but that’s the truth, that’s why minimalist photographs are so powerful. What you may not know is that minimalism is even better in square format, I encourage you to take the test, for now I leave you an example of an image.
We mentioned earlier that the square format very well supports the pattern being placed in the center, however, that it is not necessary to use the rule of thirds does not mean that it cannot be, in fact it can, works well and is applied in the same way as in the standard format. Some examples:
Symmetrical images in a square are reinforced in symmetry. This framework reinforces the balancing effect. Enjoy this effect when photographing symmetries, but eye, try to break it a little so it’s not too boring.
I already mentioned that the square format itself balances the image, even if your composition is balanced Don’t let your photo walk on the tightrope?See this little bird flying from emilio Chulia’s next image?Well, isn’t that for decoration?
If you thought natural framing didn’t work too well in square format, were you wrong?I’ll leave you two samples:
A few weeks ago I talked about the impact that can be had when filling the frame, the differences are also noticeed in the square images, a simple trick that can turn an unre interesting image into a very attractive image.
You may be wondering how to photograph in this format that I told you about throughout the article, as there are different options:
Editing: Photo editors have cropping function, is this the option you have when shooting with an SLR because there are no square sensors? Although I recommend that if you want a square photo, think square when shooting, no matter how much you cut in the editor. You can also try cropping when a standard image doesn’t convince you. On more than one occasion, you will discover that in this format, it is better! You have many free online publishers.
Smartphone: For those who shoot a lot with their mobile phone, the square format is usually more affordable, since the camera usually has different shooting modes, panoramic, standard, square, video?This way it’s very easy to compose because you do. You don’t have to imagine it, you can see directly how it looks. (Tip: You can use your phone when you have doubts when shooting with your SLR about the appearance of a square image).
Polaroid Cameras: Many of these Polaroid cameras instantly reveal square photos. Have you ever tried them? Here you can learn a little more about them.
You’ve already seen how easy it is to shoot in square format, and it’s also very grateful, after light, composition is the most important element of an image, you know how to compose in squares now?What are you waiting for to shoot?
If you found it interesting I would be very grateful if you shared it on your favorite social network We want to see many square photos!Thank you and soon.