Compositional aid

[jackiex_x]

Hi

I was watching channel five's How to Take Stunning Photographs last night, and the guy on there was using something he named a Compositional Aid, which was basically a bit of cardboard with the centre cut out that he used to look thru to compose great landscape shots. Anyone know where I can buy one? I've looked online, but no luck. I realise I could make one but I wouldn't know what size to cut it etc, would rather have a professionally made one. Thanks

 

[ann]

Find some old slides and remove the film. Bingo, compositional aid. or take some mat board and cut out two L's place them at an angle to each other, Bingo Compostional aid. We did this over 50 years ago all the time. Nothing new here.

Just cut it out of an 8x10 piece of mat board found at any art supply shop.

 

[480sparky38 37]

Use your fingers & thumbs to create a rectangle. Cheap & always available.

 

[Big Mike]

You could also just look through the viewfinder on your camera. :er:

 

[KmH]

Hi

I was watching channel five's How to Take Stunning Photographs last night, and the guy on there was using something he named a Compositional Aid, which was basically a bit of cardboard with the centre cut out that he used to look thru to compose great landscape shots. Anyone know where I can buy one? I've looked online, but no luck. I realise I could make one but I wouldn't know what size to cut it etc, would rather have a professionally made one. Thanks

He made that himself. I'm not aware of anything like that that is mass-produced.
But, since money is apparently no object - Panasonic DMW-VF1 External Optical Viewfinder

 

[ann]

:thumbup:

 

[Big Mike]

How about a LMFV (Linhof multifocal viewfinder)? :er:

 

[o hey tyler]

As others have suggested, just cut a rectangle to the right ratio out of a piece of cardboard. You can hold it closer to your eye to simulate a shorter focal length, or farther away to simulate a longer focal length. Not very accurate, but I guess it might help a little.

 

[KmH]

Yep. Your Canon EOS 500D makes images that have a 3:2 aspect ratio. Stated another way, the long side of the image is 1.5 times longer than the short side.

So cut out a rectangle that is 4x6, or 6x9.

 

[jackiex_x]

Yep. Your Canon EOS 500D makes images that have a 3:2 aspect ratio. Stated another way, the long side of the image is 1.5 times longer than the short side.

So cut out a rectangle that is 4x6, or 6x9.

Very helpful thank you.