Hello ,
Size is relative, and how we represent size in our photographs can be manipulated. The size in three dimensions can be
reproduced accurately or distorted in a picture.
What's Size?
We can think of size as the physical space something takes up. So, every once in a while, I'll use the words size and space interchangeably.
The by-the-book version from the
Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of "size" that we need to think about is:
1 a : physical magnitude, extent, or bulk : relative or proportionate dimensions
When it comes to paintings and drawings, space is an element of art created by the artist. But when it comes to photography, it already
exists in the stuff we photograph, so we observe how depth and size get reproduced, created, and recognized in the picture.
In a photograph, size is relative and can be misleading.
If we see something in a photograph we're familiar with, we get an idea of the sizes of the other things in the picture. On the other hand, we usually
can't experience the scale shown in the photograph without something familiar.
Are There Different Types of Sizes?
It's as simple as what you're probably thinking.
Small, medium, and large.
And when it comes making pictures of objects, our lens, camera, and print can reproduce large as small and small as large.
For example, our earth appears small in a 4-inch X 6-inch print, while a grain of sand will look like a boulder if printed to the size of a billboard. And if we've got a 1:1 macro lens, we can reproduce things at "life-size."
Size Constancy
When we see, we experience "size constancy." It's a fancy term for our tendency to experience an object as the same size regardless of its image size on our eye's retinae.
For example, a six-foot pole with a stop sign on top looks like a six-foot pole with a stop sign on top, no
matter how far away we are from it. That's because we're familiar with it and other road signs. And familiarity creates a size constancy related to those everyday objects in our brains.
I imagine we know how disappointing it feels to see the awe-inspiring landscape we experienced in person reproduced as a 4-inch X 6-inch print. We saw and experienced the landscape as expansive. Now we're experiencing it as a
two-dimensional, 4-inch X 6-inch print that we can hold.
There's a big difference between being in the landscape and looking at the relatively tiny representation of it afterward. That's size constancy.
And for what it's worth, size constancy isn't something we're born with. Very young children don't have it because they aren't familiar
with anything yet.
Where Can We See Size in Photographs?
We see size only in comparison to other familiar sizes.
People standing next to each other at the same distance from us show us their sizes.
A penny next to a quarter at the same distance from us shows us their sizes. But if I pick that penny up and hold it closer to the lens, I can make the penny look bigger.
Size can also be emphasized by getting close to an object, especially when using a wide-angle lens.
We know the size of the tuba in relation to the hands.
The
closer the people are, the larger they seem.
We can overlap stuff too.
Overlapping is putting one thing in front of another.
If I hold my finger close to the lens while photographing a tree in the background, my finger will look as big or bigger as the tree.
But we know better. Of course, my finger isn't as large as the tree.
But if we reverse the positioning of my finger and the tree in the picture, we can see the tree is a miniature.
How To Study and Practice With Size
The easiest way to practice with size is to notice it throughout the day.
And when practicing making pictures pay attention to the different sizes of the objects we see and how they relate to each other in the picture. Are they an accurate rendition of size, or are we distorting the scale of things?
And
remember, we learn and become better by doing, so make sure to practice by making at least one picture today.
That’s all for now; thanks for reading!
Sam
Study and practice photography with me.
And if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes, we can
schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online one-on-one private instruction that cover the same things as any of my group classes.
