Comments on: Ranting About Shapes http://utahphotojournalism.com/2010/02/ranting-about-shapes/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:14:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Patrick Smith http://utahphotojournalism.com/2010/02/ranting-about-shapes/comment-page-1/#comment-877 Patrick Smith Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:40:02 +0000 http://utahphotojournalism.com/?p=3085#comment-877 Nice write up, Trent. I refuse to ever crop a photo in "ratios" or "ideal sizes." Never have, never will. A great photographer once told me, "...photographs are like snow flakes, each are different sizes and shapes according to content in the photo; don't be constricted to certain sizes and shapes." And, multiple Pulitzer winning photojournalist told me also, "If I walked into a gallery, art show and every photo was the same shape and size, I'd be bored to death. Vary your crops according to content. Keep viewers engaged. Make them look at every photo." Nice write up, Trent.

I refuse to ever crop a photo in “ratios” or “ideal sizes.” Never have, never will.

A great photographer once told me, “…photographs are like snow flakes, each are different sizes and shapes according to content in the photo; don’t be constricted to certain sizes and shapes.”

And, multiple Pulitzer winning photojournalist told me also, “If I walked into a gallery, art show and every photo was the same shape and size, I’d be bored to death. Vary your crops according to content. Keep viewers engaged. Make them look at every photo.”

]]> By: Chris Detrick http://utahphotojournalism.com/2010/02/ranting-about-shapes/comment-page-1/#comment-876 Chris Detrick Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:10:44 +0000 http://utahphotojournalism.com/?p=3085#comment-876 Trent. You should be an editor. You would be great. Also, lets not forget that the eye gouge photo was buried deep inside of the sports section at around 3 columns wide. The double truck in ESPN was great, though. Trent. You should be an editor. You would be great.

Also, lets not forget that the eye gouge photo was buried deep inside of the sports section at around 3 columns wide. The double truck in ESPN was great, though.

]]> By: Trent Nelson http://utahphotojournalism.com/2010/02/ranting-about-shapes/comment-page-1/#comment-872 Trent Nelson Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:26:08 +0000 http://utahphotojournalism.com/?p=3085#comment-872 Yeah, the square trick works good and then you can go with just about any shape of photo in the layout. We used to use that all the time. I miss it! Yeah, the square trick works good and then you can go with just about any shape of photo in the layout. We used to use that all the time. I miss it!

]]> By: Doug Pizac http://utahphotojournalism.com/2010/02/ranting-about-shapes/comment-page-1/#comment-871 Doug Pizac Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:23:31 +0000 http://utahphotojournalism.com/?p=3085#comment-871 I have found so many times that when this has happened the word editor doing the layout has had little or no graphic design background -- and/or is lazy. Decades ago at a Florida paper the sports editor would do the layout after the 4p meeting when it was decided how many stories would be on the section front and how the lead story would be played. He had a stash of layouts in a folder -- 5 stories would have a horizontal photo or 2 verticals; 6 stories a lead vertical and a small horizontal. Whichever layout he would use resulted in the photo hole for the photographer shooting that night. It didn't matter what was the best picture, it was what fit the hole. I compromised with him on occassion to give me a 4-column square including caption. I would then fill it with a large horizontal with the caption underneath; a 3-column vertical with the caption on the side; a 2-column vertical and 2-column square; etc. That way I could choose how to play the best photo plus a supplemental. I have found so many times that when this has happened the word editor doing the layout has had little or no graphic design background — and/or is lazy. Decades ago at a Florida paper the sports editor would do the layout after the 4p meeting when it was decided how many stories would be on the section front and how the lead story would be played. He had a stash of layouts in a folder — 5 stories would have a horizontal photo or 2 verticals; 6 stories a lead vertical and a small horizontal. Whichever layout he would use resulted in the photo hole for the photographer shooting that night. It didn’t matter what was the best picture, it was what fit the hole. I compromised with him on occassion to give me a 4-column square including caption. I would then fill it with a large horizontal with the caption underneath; a 3-column vertical with the caption on the side; a 2-column vertical and 2-column square; etc. That way I could choose how to play the best photo plus a supplemental.

]]> By: Bryan Jones http://utahphotojournalism.com/2010/02/ranting-about-shapes/comment-page-1/#comment-870 Bryan Jones Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:41:34 +0000 http://utahphotojournalism.com/?p=3085#comment-870 Seconded and I’ll add an amen! Seconded and I’ll add an amen!

]]>