“aRound the Forest Floor”
I’ve created and posted the image above as a fun way to announce I’m leaving the “graves” of last week’s posts behind and will be coming back to nature/landscape photos this week. Using this non-standard format for an image was also an exercise of my own preconceptions of what an image or photo should look like.
“We want the facts to fit the preconceptions. When they don’t it is easier to ignore the facts than to change the preconceptions.” ~ Jessamyn West
This round format actually works well visually with the subject matter but because it’s not a “standard” it’s difficult to use due to the lack of tools, file formats and methods available — we live in a square/rectangular dominated world.
The round square. See, I had to normalise it. :-) It’s the peek view, or a view through a pair of binoculars. All macro shooters could use the format, it would make all sense.
Ove, yes, of course, you are quite right…even this round image is in fact a square format file.
We usually only see round views in binoculars, as you described, or microscopes and telescopes. It it was a more common format our brains would soon become use to viewing it and then yes it would make sense.
Thanks
Nice job Earl! When I worked as a forester the only time I experienced such a view was when I tripped and did a face plant onto the forest floor. One of the fun times I don’t miss!
Steve, thanks! In your “face plant” experience you were probably getting a little closer view then even this. :-)
Yes, feels awkward to me. Difficult for my eyes to focus on a subject but wants to run around in circles, now that is just me. Not everyone will look at it that way. I sometimes use binoculars when out in the field so I’m used to looking through this format but I’ve never enjoyed. Give me the rectangle. Having said that show me what else ya got!!
Monte, there is a strangness to it. I’m not sure how is because it’s an uncommon frame shape which the brain is not use to seeing.
I’ll see what else I can come up with. ;-)
It is an interesting thing to think about, the shape that frames the image. I tend to like rectangles because, frankly, they are boring. I like that the frame doesn’t compete with the contents. However, that said, your post made me think about what shape I see in out of my own two eyes. You know, I can’t place a shape on it. It is shapeless. Even those physically it may translate into a physical size on the back of our eyeballs, our brains have eliminated the borders. If anything, it is like some oblong, panoramic ellipse depending on how good your peripheral vision is. :-) I like that you are challenging your own and others preconceptions here Earl. I just have those round or elliptical mat cutouts that framed cheesy pictures of me when I was a kid in my head whenever I see it. I guess you could say I am scarred. :-)
Mark, I’m glad you appreciated the thought(s) behind this little experiment. I sometimes get “off on tangents” while thinking about photography, images and our (my) perceptions and while these tangents are seldom very productive they are often interesting — at least to me. :-)
Interesting thoughts of your own about the shape of the area we see with our two eyes — I couldn’t describe it any better then you did.
LOL…I know exactly what type of matting you’re talking about. Got some scars in my past as well. That may have well done in the circle or oval ever being consider as a serious image frame.
You just love “messing with us”, don’t you? I did a serious double take when I saw this and the first thing I thought (rather than binoculars, although I frequently look through our) was those oval and round frames used to frame children’s photos decades ago that Mark mentioned. That made this even more surprising, because all those images were soft on the edges. This is more like an outer space image taken with a special lens. It is great fun simply because it is so deliciously unorthodox. It will be fun to see what you come up with next. We may have to keep you away from those graveyards in the future.
Hi Anita, I’m not “messing with you.” :-) I’m simply trying to get outside the box and view things with an open mind and new perspective. I can’t speak to what I’ll come up with next. It’s often a surprise to me as well.