Anyone carry around a frame cutout?

I spend tons of time looking at images on POTN trying to jump start some inspiration. And I got nothin. I look at my house, neighborhood, city, yard, etc.... still nothin.

So...I was thinking about carrying around a slide mount or cardstock with a cutout in the right proportions - hoping that I would be more able to see image possibilities around me.

There has to be other people who have done this...if so, does it work?

I also read that "since a camera doesn't capture a binocular image like our eyes, you should close one-eye to forecast the camera's two-dimensional way of imaging." All I get doing that is a smaller angle of view - not two-dimensional sight. Is there a better way to "see" this?

Why not do the old movie director thing and make the frame with your hands.

gjl711 wrote in post #10451318
Why not do the old movie director thing and make the frame with your hands.

Naw, all the hipsters do that now .

Carrying a cardboard cutout? Now that's like, modern man.

TheBurningCrown wrote in post #10451369
Naw, all the hipsters do that now .

Carrying a cardboard cutout? Now that's like, modern man.

Well.. maybe.. if it were life sized huge and framed the pic at the focal distance.

Start with the links in my Sig. Then, when you've found the place you need to stand, frame the shot you "saw" in your viewfinder. Finally, take that 2:3 image & crop to the important elements of the image, not to some arbitrary "Standard" frame or paper size.

I picked up a couple of old photography composition books from my local library and one of them mentioned doing what you're referring to help you visualize things.

Why not just use the viewfinder? You DO carry your camera with you every where you go, right?

I have a cut-out - BUT I only use it when I am out and about with my View Camera. There is a string attached to hang it around my neck and I have added knots that correspond to the focal length of my LF lenses (I only have 4 of them). All I do is hold the correct knot to my face and look through the cut-out to get the correct field of view. It is way faster than setting up the camera and trying to figure out what angle to shoot from.

For 35mm or even MF, I just use the VF of the camera - faster and more accurate.

CafeRacer808 wrote in post #10453814
Why not just use the viewfinder? You DO carry your camera with you every where you go, right?

Dave - at this point, it's more of an objective than a statement of fact.

I did go to a Canon EOS Discovery Day workshop this evening. It's prompting some internal motivation - so we'll see.

The same local camera store is also sponsoring a 3-hr program in September with George Lepp. Thinking of registering for that, too.

I carry a monitor...

It's a little less convenient but at least I know the colors are right!

i look inside for inspiration, and browse places like modelmayhem or 1x or flickr to see whos done what in a similar way.

when i shoot i sometimes forget which lenses i own, or sometimes even which camera im using.

ultimately its the construction of the end result that you want to direct your minds eye to picture.

I know many photographers carry around light/compact cameras with something like an 18-200 as a scout kit. That way you can find some ideas, take some test or sample shots to determine what you'll want to shoot later that day or the following day.

You're right. Holding up your hands is so twee! Forget the cardboard, too.??? Just imagine you have a cutout frame. Imagine you hold it up occasionally, and, who knows, you might just frame the emperor's new clothes one day.

And if you feel the need to spend some money on a framing device, there are always director's viewfinders, like this one.