Why You NEED This Composition Technique | The Golden Spiral, Explained

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You've heard of the rule of thirds, but did you know that there's an even more aesthetically pleasing way to frame a shot? It's actually a mathematical ratio that's rooted in art, photography, nature, and the universe, and it's called the Golden Spiral, or Phi Ratio.

In today's episode of Ask Aputure, Nerris from the A-Team helps us understand the Golden Spiral and how we can creatively implement the Golden Spiral into our cinematography.

Using the Golden Spiral in your cinematography can help you enhance your overall filmmaking techniques and allow you to take your shots to the next level!

Other names for the Golden Spiral: Fibonacci Sequence, God's Equation, Golden Mean, Divine Proportion, and the Golden Cut.

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#goldenratio #cinematography #ruleofthirds

[aputurelighting]

Where else have you seen the Golden Spiral?

[rayafahreza]

Always intrigued by this golden ratio theory, but whenever I see a sample case from a movie/shot it feels like you're just trying to fit the spiral into something that was not originally based on the ratio. Like forced coincidences.

[samuelwestknee]

I like how this spiral is sized freely and placed also as freely... you can literally place any size spirals on any frames you want

[Antz_]

These overlay of the spiral seem forced.
You literally put it on anything and pretend that that's the subjective frame.

[kiribundi]

It seems like you just stuck a golden spiral on every picture you find, even if it looks farfetched. I thought the principle was just to lead the eye along the line from foreground/background objects to the main subject of the picture...

[AllThingsFilm]

It would be cool if more cameras incorporated the Golden Spiral into the viewfinder features. Maybe as an update, for instance, as the GH5 was updated with the VLog profile. Could it be that simple?

[nathanbrutal]

I've heard it referenced recently in the book "The Emperor's New Mind" I use the idea to try and understand what people can't comfortably see/understand when I'm sparring in martial arts, that idea is incorporated many times in my fighting style.

[AlexMilanese]

I did research on the fibonacci sequence and golden spiral while obtaining my B.S. in mathematics in college. When I started making films years later, I was blown away to learn that it can also be used as a composition tool. It can even be observed at the cosmic level in spiral galaxies! This is one crazy, interconnected world we live in. Keep making these awesome videos Aputure!

[neoray]

My favorite use of the golden spiral, is to use with symmetry of outdoor locations as it has leading lines towards the subject, draws the attention of the viewer

[dan]

My favorite example of the golden spiral in nature is the sunflower. The core of the sunflower has the seeds laid out in a way the spacing between them is optimized, and it's amazing how this corresponds with the golden spiral.

[Plumbingbob]

I've always seen it the most as a child, due to the fact I was an avid fossil hunter and the ammonite was my favourite. The nautilus shell has to be the best image of it still around today.

[JonesHess]

I see the golden spiral every time I look at a side on view of a bird. It’s perfect how it curls from the eye over the head and along the body to the tail. Beautiful. Will definitely start to look for the spiral in more places.

[foxyfoxier]

How did you know that my math skills are equivalent to an senile earthworm’s skills?😂

[ab]

First lighting tips, then math and science lessons... What doesn't Aputure teach! Lol, great segment!

[ncphotography]

My favourite exemple of the Fibonacci sequence/ration in nature is in the "Romanesco broccoli", which is a special kind of cauliflower which has mesmerising spiral like spikes that themselves have spirale like spikes, smaller and smaller until they are no longer distinguishable, it is really amazing !

[rodprod]

My favourite example of the golden spiral in nature is the the swirl of galaxies in the universe. It highlights how mathematics and beauty appear equally on a huge and small scale and why choosing this framing can be right for massive or tiny shots!

[KenanConvey]

Season finale of s3 of Succession uses this brilliantly.

[TheSwamox]

The molecule measurement in the double helix spiral of DNA has numerical sequences found in the fibonacci sequence. The fibonacci sequence is the very blueprint from which we are made.

[benedict]

This is like English teachers over analysing in high school, it is just human instinct to see patterns where there aren't.

[ujagarsingh]

Like you said it is in our biology, so just take more pictures and with time you will get good which means you naturally start following the golden spiral