'Square Vision'

This is a portfolio of images taken in square format. These are not images cropped in post-processing. So, why square (1:1) format? Well, I was always fond of images shot with a medium format camera and since I would never invest in such cameras I decided to make use of this option of my full frame DSLR camera.

From a compositional viewpoint, a square format certainly has its advantages. It presents a perfect balance on all sides of the frame. The square format doesn’t just affect the frame – it also changes the way a viewer looks at an image.

The square format lends itself to a simple approach. Keeping the composition simple is usually a good way to create a stronger image anyway, but you almost get forced into it with the square format as the square frame has less spare space. Therefore simplifying the composition becomes a necessity. Creating a simple composition is often much harder than it seems. But it’s a very useful exercise. For your photos to have impact, you want to eliminate as many distractions as possible. The focus should be on the subject. Any other elements that pull the viewer’s eye away from the subject lessen the strength of the image.

A square is a perfectly balanced shape. Each side is equal in length. As a result using the square format encourages the eye to move around the frame in a circle and also to land right in the middle of the frame, particularly if the elements have been arranged with care. Compare this to the rectangular frame, where the eye is encouraged to move from side to side (in the landscape format) or up and down (in the portrait format).

The other factor is that the square format greatly simplifies the decision making process. Street photography is often about reacting quickly to the scene in front of you. The fewer decisions you have to make, the quicker you can do so. With the square format, there is no need to consider whether the composition would be better if you turned the camera on its side.

Finally, I think I should mention one problem I’m sure you’ve encountered with square photos: their static tendency. With all sides perfectly equal in length there’s no natural dynamic to encourage the onlooker’s eye to move from left to right or up and down. The invitation is just to stare at the center because you can see the whole photo at one glance. It’s because of the static nature of the square format that it is imperative to introduce leading lines in the image.

This series has been shot with my Pentax K1ii full frame DSLR set in 1:1 format. I used the following lenses: MIR 20mm F3.5 MC, CZJ Pancolar Auto 50 mm f1,8 MC, CZJ Flektogon MC 35mm f2,4 and Yashinon Tomioka 60 mm f2.8 macro.

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