"Just like being there" effect on Panoramic prints

[Brian Vuillemenot]

It depends on the subject- anything from a 2:1 to 6:1 ratio can be nice. I especially like 2.5:1 (either 4X10 or cropped 6X17) and 4:1 (cropped 4X10) ratios, although it's not very often I've found subjects that work well in 4:1 aspect ratio

[CarstenW]

Vertical panoramas are also really special, but very difficult to pull off. I have seen just a few successful ones, but they were really different.

How about cutting holes for the various ratios you are considering in black pieces of cardboard, and walking around visualizing for a while? You can get 2x5 with a half a 4x5, btw. Some people do this with a dark slide cut in half which they flip to expose the second image.

[NicolasArg]

It depends on the subject- anything from a 2:1 to 6:1 ratio can be nice. I especially like 2.5:1 (either 4X10 or cropped 6X17) and 4:1 (cropped 4X10) ratios, although it's not very often I've found subjects that work well in 4:1 aspect ratio

Yes, you are right, the 2:1 doesn't look like a pano, more like a nice and wide cinema shot. The 4:1 is a bit narrow to be more or less universal.

Vertical panoramas are also really special, but very difficult to pull off. I have seen just a few successful ones, but they were really different.

How about cutting holes for the various ratios you are considering in black pieces of cardboard, and walking around visualizing for a while? You can get 2x5 with a half a 4x5, btw. Some people do this with a dark slide cut in half which they flip to expose the second image.

Oh, that's a great idea, I remember doing so when I first started to shoot 6x6.

And what about the quality? Given a technically correct and stable shot and drum scanning, what would be the limit for a 6xsomething print that holds itself if viewed from close distance?

[rdenney]

And what about the quality? Given a technically correct and stable shot and drum scanning, what would be the limit for a 6xsomething print that holds itself if viewed from close distance?

With drum scanning, and with excellent lenses, cameras, and (more important) technique, you should be able to get 10:1 enlargements with ease, and 15:1 enlargements that are quite good. Roll film makes a print 22 inches tall at 10:1. A 6x17 image will be about 5-1/2 feet wide at 10:1. I don't think using roll film will prevent vision-filling sizes, if you are prepared to get the most out of it.

I think Sandy King showed an image he made using a Mamiya 7 that was quite a bit bigger than 10:1, and the quality was outstanding.

But the rule is, of course, the smaller the format, the greater the demands on equipment and technique.

For me, though, the key is not so much a big print, but rather an image that presents a realistic perspective from the viewer's location in front of the print. For a wide-angle image to have the effect, you have to view it very close so that it fills the peripheral vision. For a longer lens, it can be like looking through a window, and still give the viewer the feeling of being there. It's probably easier to carry the effect with a longer lens viewed too closely than with a short lens viewed too far away.

Rick "finding this an interesting topic" Denney

[NicolasArg]

With drum scanning, and with excellent lenses, cameras, and (more important) technique, you should be able to get 10:1 enlargements with ease, and 15:1 enlargements that are quite good. Roll film makes a print 22 inches tall at 10:1. A 6x17 image will be about 5-1/2 feet wide at 10:1. I don't think using roll film will prevent vision-filling sizes, if you are prepared to get the most out of it.

I think Sandy King showed an image he made using a Mamiya 7 that was quite a bit bigger than 10:1, and the quality was outstanding.

But the rule is, of course, the smaller the format, the greater the demands on equipment and technique.

Excellent, I think that is also safe to suppose that from a viewers point a view, a color print support a much larger print just because I think we tend to see colors first. I've seen fairly large 35mm digital prints very well executed technically and aesthetically and the result is absolutely great. In my opinion, colors tend to somehow "blur" our vision and mask the lack of details in a certain way.
I don't know if this happens just to me, but I find that when I view a BW print, I tend to "hunt" for details in the shapes and tones. Especially if it's a LF print.

For me, though, the key is not so much a big print, but rather an image that presents a realistic perspective from the viewer's location in front of the print. For a wide-angle image to have the effect, you have to view it very close so that it fills the peripheral vision. For a longer lens, it can be like looking through a window, and still give the viewer the feeling of being there. It's probably easier to carry the effect with a longer lens viewed too closely than with a short lens viewed too far away.

Rick "finding this an interesting topic" Denney

Just got back from a 2 days backpacking in the mountains. While there I think I came to a similar conclusion- for example, a stunning set of peaks glowing in light at dawn tend to capture my attention as a whole and I notice that I forget about the surroundings. When viewing a WA scene, it has to be very natural to create that feeling. That's why I notice that I tend to shoot panos in the mountains.
Imagine yourself standing on a very high position looking down. What do you see? You are probably amazed by the greatness of the view, the peaks behind and around you and the giant sky above. I've tried to capture that feeling a lot of times but what does happen? If you use a WA lens, even in the 28-35 range, the mountains become midgets and you just see the fairly uninteresting sky. If you compose with some foreground.... well It could work if the situation calls for it, but hte truth is that you never view some little rocks when panning around in a situation like described.
And what about a tele? Well, it could work better but I find that it isolates too much sometimes. The panos on the other hand work better, they effectively isolate what you are looking at and cut away all the rest, while preserving the wide view.
It's interesting indeed.