35mm Film, composition and the golden rectangle - web research

Oskar Barnack and the 3:2 Aspect Ratio
The origins of the aspect ratio of 35mm film can be traced to Oskar Barnack, an employee of Leitz Camera in Germany. Barnack believed the 3:2 aspect ratio to be the ideal choice for his invention, the first 35mm camera ever, dubbed the "Ur-Leica". After WWI, Barnack convinced his boss, Ernest Leitz II, to begin production of similar cameras. In 1925, Leitz Camera released the first Leica and the rest is history. Why was Oskar Barnack so adamant about the seemingly arbitrary aspect ratio of 3:2? There are many other film formats with different aspect ratios to choose from, but there is something special about the 3:2 aspect ratio--it happens to have the closest proportions to the Golden Rectangle of any other major film format out there, with the sole exception of European widescreen. Perhaps Oskar Barnack had this in mind when he created the 3:2 aspect ratio.

What Is the Golden Rectangle?
The Golden Rectangle is defined as a rectangle that can be partioned into a square and a smaller rectangle which has the same aspect ratio of the original rectangle. In Figure 1, we see such a rectangle. In this example, the length of the smaller rectangle divided by its width is equal to the length of the larger rectangle divided by its width, i.e., a ÷ b = (a + b) ÷ a. The ratio of the larger side of each rectangle to the smaller side is known as the Golden Ratio. Mathematically, this works out to be about 1.6:1, or 3.2:2 compared to the 3:2 aspect ratio of 35mm film.

Figure 1: The Golden Rectangle.

The Golden Rectangle in Nature

The Golden Rectangle and Golden Ratio appear in some very interesting places. For example, in Fibonacci numbers, a sequence of numbers where each new number is the sum of the previous two numbers (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 . . .), the ratio of consecutive numbers increasingly approaches the Golden Ratio. In Figure 2, we see a graphical relationship between Fibonacci numbers and the Golden Rectangle. The Fibonacci numbers are closely related to exponential growth, such as the reproduction of rabbits. They are also found in plants where many tend to have a Fibonacci number of petals or leaves.

Figure 2: Relationship between the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Rectangle

Another interesting place the Golden Rectangle appears is in spirals. Successive points dividing a golden rectangle into squares lie on a logarithmic spiral, also known as the "Spira Mirabilis". See Figure 3. Coincidentally, spirals such as these are found throughout nature, such as in the contours of Nautilus shells.

Figure 3: The Golden Rectangle and Spira Mirabilis

The Golden Rectangle in Art
The Golden Rectangle is believed to have been first constructed by Pythagorus in the 6th Century B.C. It is said to be one of the most visually pleasing of all geometric forms. Archeologists have found countless examples of it in the facades of ancient Greek architecture. In Figure 4, we see how the Parthenon in Athens was built to the dimensions of the Golden Rectangle.

Figure 4: The Parthenon

In Figure 5, we also see how Leonardo da Vinci applied the Golden Rectangle to the proportions of the human body. In this example, the height of the person was divided into two segments, the dividing point being the person's navel. Leonardo took the distance from the soles of the feet to the navel, then divided by the distance from the navel to the top of the head and found that it was equal to the Golden Mean, or as he would call it, the Divine Proportion.

Figure 5: Leonardo da Vinci's study of the human body

The Golden Rectangle also has its place in modern art such as in the paintings of Piet Mondrian. In Figure 6, we see one such painting.

Figure 6: Piet Mondrian, Composition in Red, Yellow, and Blue



The Golden Rectangle in Photography

And now we return, full circle, to how the Golden Rectangle relates to 35mm photography. We cannot speak further on this subject without mentioning Henri Cartier-Bresson, arguably the most imporant photographer of the 20th century. Before he ever became a photographer however, Cartier-Bresson studied painting under the Cubist painter, Andre Lhote. Beginning in 1928, he underwent the visual training which would eventually enable him to capture on film what he would later call, "Images a la Sauvette," better known as "The Decisive Moment". Indeed, before Lhote passed away, he commented on Bresson's photography, "Everything comes from your training as a painter".

So how does Bresson relate to the importance of the 3:2 aspect ratio? Interestingly, Cartier-Bresson never cropped any of his images. Every single photograph he displayed was a full 35mm frame just as it came from one of his Leicas. Cartier-Bresson would file out the negative carriers to specifically show that the print was an uncropped, full-frame enlargement composed entirely in the camera. He wrote. “In order to ‘give a meaning' to the world, one has to feel oneself involved in what he frames through the viewfinder. This attitude requires concentration, a discipline of mind, sensitivity, and a sense of geometry.” The geometry Cartier-Bresson speaks of is that of the 35mm frame. Notable war photographer, Don McCullin, said of Cartier-Bresson, "I think I speak for every photographer and especially Magnum photographers, when I say that Henri really introduced the concept of perfect composition into our thinking. He was the first to teach us to compose within the specific shape of the 35mm frame and to utilize the very nature of that camera and format."

But why such devotedness to the seemingly arbitrary 3:2 aspect ratio? In Figure 7, we see that the aspect ratio of 35mm film is in fact a very close approximation of the Golden Rectangle.

Figure 7: 35mm film and the Golden Rectangle

Although efforts to try and analyze Cartier-Bresson's genius would probably be pointless, by looking at several of Bresson's photographs, we can clearly see the close relationship between his compositions and the Golden Rectangle. This is most likely a carryover from his training as a painter, as his mentor Lhote suggested. The amazing thing is that, unlike a painter who can create his compositions at his leisure, Cartier-Bresson had to discover them in the unpredictable and relentless tempo of everyday life. We see, in Figure 8, how the line of children in one of Cartier-Bresson's photographs closely follows a logarithmic spiral.

Figure 8:

In Figure 9, we see how Cartier-Bresson used the proportions of the Golden Rectangle to form his composition.

Figure 9:

Interestingly, most people would probably say that the photo above follows the Rule of Thirds.

However, I would venture to say that the Rule of Thirds is merely a specific application or simplification of the Golden Rectangle. In Figure 10, we see an overlay of the Rule of Thirds over the Golden Rectangle. In this overlay, the four points located at the intersections of the lines dividing the image into thirds, considered the sweet spots of composition, fall approximately where the Golden Rectangle converges if allowed to repeat inside itself. Perhaps the Rule of Thirds actually has its origins in the Golden Rectangle.

Figure 10: Overlay of the Rule of Thirds over the Golden Rectangle

So, there you have it, a compelling argument against the idea that the 3:2 aspect ratio is simply an arbitrary standard some manufacturer decided on years ago for no valid reason. I leave you with my own attempt at applying the Golden Rectangle to photography.

History of Image - Portrait photographers

For this task I had to research 2 past photographers of a given genre - portrait photography.
I was pleased to receive this genre to research, as it is an area that I do not have much experience of, and as such probably have a lot to learn.

Initially I thought about my perception of portrait photography, and I recall old school photograph's where non of the students want to be there, and aren't enjoying the experience. No character or emotion is captured and whilst the clothes of the given era may be colourful, the images appear bland - maybe this is why I don't like portraits?
Time has moved on and disposable cash, some would say is more readily available, and with the rise in disposable income came a rise in the desire for family portraits to capture the 'spirit' of a family and the 'venture' style portraits that are now quite common - high key lighting, white backgrounds, white T-shirts and bare feet, whilst these might differ drastically from the family and school portraits of old, they all have the same feel - no matter who the family, like the poses are out of a handbook sent down from head office!
So why do I not like portrait photography? Probably because I haven't been exposed to as many images of different styles as I'd like, and the images I'd been bombarded with from this genre were bland and had no soul. So in my research I'm looking for photographers who capture something different, the essence of either themselves or the subject in a way I've never seen before.

I've used a lot of websites and books in this piece, the following are of note;
Master of photography
Photography as art
Criticising photograpghy
The ongoing moment
The theatre of face

Peter Hujar
Born in New Jersey in 1934, Peter Hujar moved to New York to work in the advertising and fashion industry. At this time New York was financially in poor standing but a place that was experiencing a surge in cultural changes through Gay Nightlife culture.
His black and white work was largely filled portraits of the 'alternative' people with whom his lifestyle would have brought him into contact with and feature nude gay men, drag queens and 'alternative' performers.

Hujar, who died in 1987 after an AIDS related complication, received little recognition during his lifetime, but was an important influence on other photographers and his work has featured in many exhibitions since his death.
His most recognised image is Candy Darling on her Deathbed.
The transsexual, who was a central figure in the downtown scene of New York, is pictured looking peace full, elegant and beautiful as she lies in a hospital bed awaiting her imminent death. Her face made up, her clothing is an elegant blouse as she continues to play her role as The Diva, defiantly refusing to look poorly, ever graceful, however close the end may be. Inescapable though is the morbid truth;  the black rose on the bed, the strip lighting of the hospital and the distant darkness.

The image is well composed and illustrates the many layers of emotion that must have been felt by both the photographer and the subject at that moment in time, as well as the ongoing struggle Candy must have had throughout life balancing normality with the diva and sexuality, and how the urge to perform remained until the end.


Roman Vishniac
Born in Moscow in 1897 to an unusually respected Jewish family, Roman was a diverse photographer and is well known for his contributions to photo microscopy, however, I am interested in his portraits of Slovakian and Polish Jews in their impoverished communities during the 1930's when Vishniac moved he and his family to Germany just as anti-Semitism was growing.

The image above, titled Sara, Warsaw, Poland captures the fragility of the little girl, who appears unkempt, under weight and alone. small in comparison to the things around her and well within the frame, the little girl appears dirty and impoverished, but retains a look of innocence - she is not buckling under the weight of her situation.
It is almost as though Vishniac knew the fate that the Nazi rule would bring to the Jewish community, and that they would not survive future events.
Vishniac was however commissioned by the Jewish Council who were working to assist Jews in eastern Europe, so is their purpose to make the subjects appear needy?

There is much more to portraiture than a rigid family pose or an over fashioned 'trendy' shoot, and I am now more interested at developing skills to use in portrait work.

Iconic image from the history of photography



In 1917, Frances Griffiths returned home with wet feet after playing by the stream with her cousin Elsie Wright. In trouble again after being told repeatedly not to play there, her excuse for being near the stream started an illusion that would last for over 70 years - she told her mother she went to see the fairies.

 

They borrowed a camera, and returned it to Elsie's father for him to develop, after the initial surprise, Mr. Wright dismissed the fairies as cardboard cutouts. He knew his daughter was a talented artist who enjoyed drawing fairy figures. Eventually Mr. Wright stopped loaning his camera to his daughter and niece after they took another photo with Elsie posed next to what appeared to be a gnome.

 

The whole matter might have stayed a private affair, but in 1919 the mothers attended a philosophy meeting that included in its teaching the possibility of nature spirits. After the meeting was over the women approached the speaker about the pictures. This brought the photographs to the

 

Through word of mouth the pictures came to the attention of Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes, who was also a member of the Spiritualist movement and believed that the living could communicate with the dead through psychics and seances. He was very open to the idea of fairies and welcomed the photos as evidence of a world beyond physical reality. Conan Doyle was unable to travel to interview the family, and instructed Mr Gardner to go in his place. 

After talking to the girls, Gardner reported to Conan Doyle that the girls were telling the truth. Conan Doyle then used the pictures in a story he was writing about fairies for The Strand magazine and suggested that more photographs be taken.

 

For many years the argument continued to speculate as to whether the girls had actually captured fairies on film.

 

Finally in 1981 and 1982 in an interview, Frances and Elsie admitted that the photographs had been faked.  Both ladies contended they had indeed seen real fairies near the stream.

 

Whether seen or not, the photographs have been used to communicate something not actually present at the time, and shoes that photo manipulation is not a new or digital invention.

The thought that the camera never lies has never truly been the case and photography still offers a medium by which to deceive or trick the viewer.

Dark room introduction - Pictograms

A pictogram, in it's literal sense is a picture which conveys a meaning through it's resemblance in an image. In terms of photography, they are very simple images where objects are placed directly on light sensitive paper and exposed and then developed.

The object which I had brought in for the day was not very transparent, and as light passes through the object to create varying tomes, I decided it would not be a good object to try my first pictogram with, and borrowed some feathers for session.

The dark room, has double doors, so that people can leave and enter without contaminating the paper or exposing film to light. It is also equipped with a red light, which is often referred to as a safe light, as well as sinks for developing.
It takes a few moments to get used to the red light, so I take time to adjust before starting work.

When in the dark room, health and safety should be adhered to as chemicals can be harmful to work with.

The dry side of the dark room should be kept bone dry at all times and towels are available to dry hands before moving into the dry side.

Equipment on the dry side included the enlarger. The negative is placed on the enlarger tray and the appropriate height and aperture are chosen. The feathers were then placed on the light sensitive paper and the exposure light turned on for the required period (which is a bit of trial and error dependant on the transparency of the items, in my case it was less than 10 seconds)

Enlarger

The paper is then taken to the wet side to be developed. Whilst film follows a different exposure process, for this pictogram the paper was placed in the developer for 1 minute, stop for 30 seconds and fixer for 2 minutes using a light rocking movement to ensure that the chemicals are agitated and evenly dispersed across the surface of the paper. Once developed it is then placed in a rinse on continually refreshing water for at least 20 minutes before placing on the rack to dry.
Tongues are used to place the paper in the trays of chemicals, and care should be taken to avoid any cross contamination.

Once developed, and assuming everyone else in the dark room has finished working with light sensitive materials, the white light can be switched on.

Here are the images I created.

I enjoyed the dark room work immensely, and really look forward to learning how to develop film in there, this will also enable me to shoot more in film and possibly experiment with medium/large format camera's.

Diagnostic Asessment - Bottles

For this assessment we have been asked to research 2 images of objects that have different purposes and discuss them. I thought it would be even more interesting to compare two different pictures of the same object.
I've chosen a very simple everyday object - The Bottle!

'Wolf' by Paul Bevitt

Used in an advert in 1994, 'Wolf' is part of an ongoing campaign for Smirnoff Vodka from the agency 'Lowe Howard Spink' The campaign focused on the products clarity (being a transparent liquid) and enabled the viewer 'to see through things'. The campaign included images that were interpreted as ironic and also political.
It depicts a frame full of sheep with a bottle of Smirnoff placed over the image allowing you to see through the product. On doing so the viewer discovers that one of the sheep has the head of a wolf, 'a wolf in sheep's clothing'.
This is part of a 'no copy' advertising campaign and the only wording seen in the entire image is 'Pure Fantasy' along with the branding.
I have been unable to find technical data on how the image was produced, however one can assume that much of the image was created in post production, with just the individual elements being photographed in isolation.
Paul Bevitt, from Yorkshire, originally studied graphic design but has been a photographer for over 30 years. His work has been commissioned by many advertising agencies and has been recognised with several awards including D&AD and The Creative Circle.

I choose this image, primarily for the way it captured the product campaign but I was also intrigued by an image that used so little in terms of colour, and could be considered bland, but was used in a stills campaign to grab the attention of the viewer. The lack of colour does however serve an effective purpose, by highlighting the recognisable brand logo and label.

Sources -
Book, No-copy Advertising by Lazar Dzamic
Website, LondonArt.co.uk

Untitled, Memphis, TN 1982 by William Eggleston



William Eggleston was born in Memphis Tennessee in 1939.
He has been credited by some as validating colour photography has a legitimate medium for photographic art. He is known for taking just one shot of one situation, seeing the composition, taking the shot and moving on, saying "I think most photographers have problems editing their work. Problem now solved!"
His work features common and mundane everyday objects, sometimes in isolation, or in their cluttered dirty environment, utilizing natural light.
The above image is part of of a collection of dye-transfer prints sold at auction in 2009, featuring a coke bottle and a sprung bed base.

The image appeals to me as it focuses on everyday items that most people would remain oblivious of, grey dirty items which add depth to our everyday existence and speak volumes about our environment and culture. I think that the composition and depth of field draw the viewer to the intended focal point. Even though this isn't the most colourful of Egglestons work, the natural light and shadow adds a warmth and vibrance.

Sources -
Website, Mastersofphotography
Website, Egglestonfoundation


When comparing the two images, they are both still as relevant today as they were when taken. The 'Wolf' is still conveying a very marketable brand image and a concept which the company still uses today, whilst Eggleston's image captures objects which are still found today cluttering up certain areas of any town or city.

When considering how I would capture a bottle in an image, I think about what message I would want to convey, and if in advertising, what the brief requirements would be.
When thinking about a bottle generally, I would like to convey how disposable it is, and how society as a whole doesn't value such an object. The image would be of a landfill filling half the frame, with the sky filling the rest of the frame. I would use the bottle as a focal point using a very shallow depth of field. I would maybe remove colour from the rest of the scene and saturate the bottle.
For an advertising shot I would play with light and lines trying to expose the surface of a bottle, maybe using a polariser to avoid unwanted reflections.

See sketches and cuttings in scrap book.