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Take over of Portrait Format.
#1

I am sure you have all noticed the sudden upsurge of Portrait Format images and video, from the mobile phone brigade. Don't they know they can turn their phones on their side, for conventional images. We see images of disasters, horrors and funny incidents, every time we turn on our television. Is it just me who gets scunnered that they are all in Portrait Format. I am pretty certain, that 20 years from now we will have a tall TV in the lounge, and when we go to the cinema there will be a screen 30' wide by 70' tall. Or am I just being "old" again?

Just to show you can take proper photographs with a mobile phone.

Nokia N8, 1/370 sec, f2.8, ISO 100, processed in Lightroom 6.5.1.

Ask yourself, "What's most important for the final image?".
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#2

(Aug 7, 2016, 11:22)Jocko Wrote:  I am sure you have all noticed the sudden upsurge of Portrait Format images and video, from the mobile phone brigade. Don't they know they can turn their phones on their side, for conventional images. We see images of disasters, horrors and funny incidents, every time we turn on our television. Is it just me who gets scunnered that they are all in Portrait Format. I am pretty certain, that 20 years from now we will have a tall TV in the lounge, and when we go to the cinema there will be a screen 30' wide by 70' tall. Or am I just being "old" again?

Just to show you can take proper photographs with a mobile phone.

That might just be an enlightened prediction (sadly) not sure I will be around to see it.

Pete 
Nokia N8, 1/370 sec, f2.8, ISO 100, processed in Lightroom 6.5.1.

RAW to the core.
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#3

I quite agree John. The advent of the 'mobile phone' as a camera is a disaster for people who are actually interested in photography. Its use appeals to persons who have never had any inclination to learn anything about photography and worse still, then expect the technology to 'sort everything out' for them.

I go back to the old 'wet chemistry darkroom' days, when it might have taken hours of patient application to produce a good or maybe an excellent print. This pre-eminance of the 'Numpty Brigade' waving their mobile phones around expecting 'Pro' results, whilst putting in zero effort, annoys the hell out of me.

The example you have posted is sadly the exception to all of this and not the rule.

Best regards.

Phil.
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#4

As a proud member of the 'Grumpy Old Man' brigade, I think that the invention of the mobile telephone was generally a triumph for humanity - being able to make audio contact with others easily from almost anywhere. Their downside was mainly limited to the inconsiderate morons who insisted on shouting into their phones on trains and in restaurants (and still do).

Sadly, its metamorphosis into the smartphone is proving to be a disaster for humanity in general and the young in particular. So many users now seem to be addicted to the small screens - playing games, or doing narcissistic selfies, or participating in the ironically antisocial social networking sites, etc.

In cafes and restaurants, parents can be seen spending much of their time collecting messages or texting or calling, while ignoring their offspring who are playing on their own mobiles. In the last few days (during the school holiday) I have witnessed several examples of family groups visiting places of natural and/or historical beauty, during which the children's eyes rarely left their smartphone screens. Very sad and worrying.

Photographically, some of the modern phone cameras, in the right hands and favourable conditions, can produce good results. However, I would guess that it will be quite some time before they catch up with the capabilities of a separate high-quality camera - DSLR, or mirrorless ILC, or an advanced compact.

So I will continue to enjoy my cameras but, probably in a future beyond the life-span of this Grumpy, it would not be a surprise to see that every camera will be just one part of an Internet connected mobile device. All I would ask is that sites like this one are set up to enable us to show and view images, however they were made, at their best size and resolution for everyone to enjoy on any viewing device.

Cheers.
Philip
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#5

I think I have to beg your forgiveness as I took the Dogs out up on the hill at the back of our house,I made a grave decision either to take my camera or Bino's & I chose the latter to see what there was hanging around in the trees.
That was a big mistake, as I walked over the crest of the hill I was confronted with a huge dark rain cloud moving easterly there hanging out of the bottom was a funnel cloud which I sent to the BBC weather and it was used in the opening shot of the forecast.I confess I used my phone.

We Photographers deal in things which are continually Vanishing and when they have vanished, there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again. We cannot develope and print a memory.
                 Henri Cartier Bresson
Doug


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#6

I'm sorry I cannot read your post. The huge image forces the text off the screen, and nothing I do can get it back on. I downloaded and viewed the excellent photograph (once I rotated it for the correct orientation). I have no problem with people using their mobile phones to take photographs. I do it all the time. I have my phone with me all the time but only carry a camera if I am setting out to take photographs. It is the inappropriate use of Portrait format which pi**es me off. You wouldn't dream of turning your camera sideways to take a wide landscape, but most mobile phone users happily do that, by holding it upright.

Ask yourself, "What's most important for the final image?".
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#7

Frankly John & Philip, a phone should be just that, a phone, a means of verbal communication over long distances. I say that, being a former Post Office Telecoms Engineer, albeit in a different age and many miles away from where I am now.

Best regards.

Phil.
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#8

Sorry to you all I seem to have no control over image size from my iPhone and quite frankly surprised it came out bigger than the steam engine that I posted to the train thread just afterwards.
But I have to say I think there is a dumbing down of society where the standard of images excepted seem to be quite poor.
On the subject of phones bring back the old push button A phones, although with one of those in my pocket the wife might think I'm pleased to see her .
Regards Doug

We Photographers deal in things which are continually Vanishing and when they have vanished, there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again. We cannot develope and print a memory.
                 Henri Cartier Bresson
Doug


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#9

Actually Doug, it isn't just the image quality which is indicative of 'the dumbing down of society'. The same applies to sound reproduction quality as well. Kids seem to think that the the music they listen to on their phones/pods or whatever is good quality, and I'm not talking about the music content, but, the actual 'sound quality'. It isn't good nor is it anywhere near to good and cannot be when one considers the amount of frequency response compression involved in the digitisation of the sound. Not to mention the fact they are listening with very small, 'in ear' bugs which in no way match the quality of professional 'in-ear' monitors. If this carries on, society is going to end up with culturally illiterate morons as the predominant proportion of the population.

Regards.

Phil.
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#10

Hi John this is what I posted but you couldn't see it
I think I have to beg your forgiveness as I took the Dogs out up on the hill at the back of our house,I made a grave decision either to take my camera or Bino's & I chose the latter to see what there was hanging around in the trees.
That was a big mistake, as I walked over the crest of the hill I was confronted with a huge dark rain cloud moving easterly there hanging out of the bottom was a funnel cloud which I sent to the BBC weather and it was used in the opening shot of the forecast.I confess I used my phone.
But I still wish I had my camera at the time, mind you I suppose when you look back in time the same was said about Fox Talbot & Logi Baird ,It's funny to think that we have fantastic Tellys these days but the majority of programs are rubbish or treat us like we are a bunch of morons with the attention span of a shrew.

Doug

We Photographers deal in things which are continually Vanishing and when they have vanished, there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again. We cannot develope and print a memory.
                 Henri Cartier Bresson
Doug


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#11

Thanks for re-posting. Now you mention it I remember the forecast. I actually chose my phone for its camera. All I use it for is texts, the odd call and as a camera.

Ask yourself, "What's most important for the final image?".
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#12

Wonder if the site is "finished," as previously Doug's post would not have uploaded, size, 3024 x 4032 Pixels, would have excluded it. This is 900 Pixels, longest side. Spectacular. Ed.

To each his own!
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#13

Well, Doug's picture does call out for a portrait orientation, but yes, not everything does.

It seems to me the last few phones I've bought the only thing the "salesperson", and I use the term loosely, could tell me about the phone was how many MP the camera was... so when I start asking how many email accounts it can handle (I currently have 13 active, each used for a separate purpose or organization) and how good is it's hotspot they all seem to flounder.
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#14

(Aug 7, 2016, 11:22)Jocko Wrote:  I am sure you have all noticed the sudden upsurge of Portrait Format images and video, from the mobile phone brigade. Don't they know they can turn their phones on their side, for conventional images. We see images of disasters, horrors and funny incidents, every time we turn on our television. Is it just me who gets scunnered that they are all in Portrait Format. I am pretty certain, that 20 years from now we will have a tall TV in the lounge, and when we go to the cinema there will be a screen 30' wide by 70' tall. Or am I just being "old" again?

Just to show you can take proper photographs with a mobile phone.

Nokia N8, 1/370 sec, f2.8, ISO 100, processed in Lightroom 6.5.1.
Or we might get perfectly square display screens for all the millions of annoying Instagram images cluttering the system.
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#15

I used to have a square format Rollieflex Camera 6 X 6 cm , it was a belter I wish I'd never sold it.

We Photographers deal in things which are continually Vanishing and when they have vanished, there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again. We cannot develope and print a memory.
                 Henri Cartier Bresson
Doug


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#16

All my early photographs were square. 120 then 127 film. And contact prints!

Ask yourself, "What's most important for the final image?".
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#17

Still have a Rolleiflex T, with 16 on Adapter, among many other cameras. Ed

To each his own!
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#18

I think I have found out why most of the photographs taken with a camera phone are in Portrait format. Today my wife used her i-phone to take a picture of our kitten, stretched out asleep. To get her all in she turned the phone to Landscape mode (and this is a total non-photographer). However, when you come to view the image, it is impossible to get it rotated so that it is the right way up. I have followed the instructions I found on line, and I cannot get it to turn. With the huge popularity of i-phones out there, and the fact that most of the photographs taken are viewed on the phone, this may explain the dearth of Landscape images. If you cannot see your image the right way up you are not going to take it that way.

Ask yourself, "What's most important for the final image?".
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#19

Use the Phone with Volume button at bottom, bit awkward, but works. Ed.

To each his own!
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#20

That's what we do, but once you've taken it the phone always displays it on its side. And when you view it, and turn the phone, it flips again.

Ask yourself, "What's most important for the final image?".
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#21

Yes I understand what you mean ! There is a switch on my iPad mini which locks the image in the correct orientation, but the iPhone 6 doesn't have that facility.
Doug

We Photographers deal in things which are continually Vanishing and when they have vanished, there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again. We cannot develope and print a memory.
                 Henri Cartier Bresson
Doug


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#22

(Aug 15, 2016, 14:56)Jocko Wrote:  That's what we do, but once you've taken it the phone always displays it on its side. And when you view it, and turn the phone, it flips again.
I am not too fond of shooting photos with my smart phone. Maybe it's because mine does not deliver the resolution I am used to from my two DSLR's. Besides, I like to see my photos on a big computer screen at full resolution and transferring them there from my cell phone is too much of a bother. However, I have seen some interesting smart phone pictures taken by people who where at the right place at the right time.
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#23

This is a photo taken on my iPhone which had me wishing I had a real camera, it's a stairwell in a block of flats by a Russian designer in the 1950's, need to go back with a Camera and retake it on a tripod. Lt. made me think of the inside of a Space Station from the film a Space Odyssey  .

We Photographers deal in things which are continually Vanishing and when they have vanished, there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again. We cannot develope and print a memory.
                 Henri Cartier Bresson
Doug


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#24

Great picture. It would be better if it was of a size that allowed you to see it all on your screen.

Ask yourself, "What's most important for the final image?".
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#25

Super Doug. If you have any control of Pixel Size, free progs available, this was resized to, 1024 Pixels on longest side, software, P/S 4E, automatically takes care of the other side. Ed.

To each his own!
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