Photo framer

[Brandman]

What do you call that little plastic square that you look through for composition of pics?

 

[KmH]

Viewfinder? I'm guessing you mean "that little plastic square" on the back of the camera?

 

[Brandman]

No not on the back of the camera it's something that you look through to decide if it's something you want to take a pic of. Could possibly fit on a key chain

 

[Brandman]

Anybody? I think it's the size of a credit card

 

[Josh66]

Can't you just make one out of some card stock or something?

I know what you're talking about, but I've never actually seen one for sale anywhere. You could make one pretty much for free...

Or you could get a Director's Viewfinder, but that would be pretty expensive for what you want to use it for...

 

[ann]

Try finding an old slide and remove the negative, we did it all the time.

There are very expensive ones found usually in the movie making section of a high end photography store.

 

[Mike_E]

Go get some black poster board and cut out some 6x6 inch squares and then cut out the various rectangles in proper proportion leaving plenty of room on the outside of the cut-outs. This will help you block out distractions.


It won't take too long before you don't need them any longer.

 

[Josh66]

I saw a thing on how to make these before ... pretty much just like Mike described. If you want to be more precise, make the hole the same size as your sensor, and hold it the focal length of the lens from your eye.

For example, if you're using a 50mm lens, hold it 50mm from your eye. That should give you approximately the same field of view the lens will give you. If you don't 'know' how long 50mm is (or whatever length lenses you have), you could write down the lengths in inches on the back of it somewhere.

 

[Big Mike]

Try finding an old slide and remove the negative, we did it all the time.

That's what I was thinking.

I usually just use my hands (thumbs and index fingers at 90 degrees to form a frame).

 

[Brandman]

I saw a thing on how to make these before ... pretty much just like Mike described. If you want to be more precise, make the hole the same size as your sensor, and hold it the focal length of the lens from your eye.

For example, if you're using a 50mm lens, hold it 50mm from your eye. That should give you approximately the same field of view the lens will give you. If you don't 'know' how long 50mm is (or whatever length lenses you have), you could write down the lengths in inches on the back of it somewhere.

What is the actual tool called

 

[Josh66]

I saw a thing on how to make these before ... pretty much just like Mike described. If you want to be more precise, make the hole the same size as your sensor, and hold it the focal length of the lens from your eye.

For example, if you're using a 50mm lens, hold it 50mm from your eye. That should give you approximately the same field of view the lens will give you. If you don't 'know' how long 50mm is (or whatever length lenses you have), you could write down the lengths in inches on the back of it somewhere.

What is the actual tool called

I honestly don't know, lol! All of the one's I've seen were homemade. I would call it a 'Composition Aid', or something like that. I don't know that it has an 'official' name...

 

[Josh66]

Found this:
Free aids to composition, download them now. | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

A fancier one:
http://www.photographers-resource.co.uk/photography/composition/Composition_framing.htm
They call it an "Artist's adjustable viewfinder" there.

 

[Brandman]

i just talked to one guy and he called it a composition guide

 

[Trever1t]

^^ way to not read the posts ^

I do it in my head or through the actual viewfinder. Don't know the name of the tool for still photography, "composition guide" sounds good enough

 

[Josh66]

Viewfinder? I'm guessing you mean "that little plastic square" on the back of the camera?

I'm guessing you mean "that little plastic square" on the back of the camera?

Hmm...

:raisedbrow: