What is the 16:9 format
The 16:9 format is an aspect ratio; that is, a specific proportion of image size.
With this in mind, the aspect ratio corresponding to the 16:9 format is almost a rectangle in which the horizontal axis dominates.
This format has prevailed over the last few decades as the standard format for both video and television sets and mobile devices.
Tablets are a separate case: they took much longer to adopt the 16:9 format, since the 4:3 format was much more suitable for their use. Little by little, tablets have adopted 16:9 because of their use for watching films and series online.
How the 16:9 format came about
The 16:9 format arose from the constant innovations in format when shooting and projecting film productions.
What began with 4:3 turned into a war among film studios to create the most impressive format with the highest projection quality.
This “war” first gave rise to panoramic formats such as 2.39 or Ultra Panavision. These were gradually adapted until they led to 16:9.
The 16:9 format in photography
In photography it isn’t one of the most used formats, but it is still common to see photographs in this format.
Its dominance on the horizontal axis makes images captured with this aspect ratio very dynamic. Horizontality is what gives an image its dynamism.
Photographs taken with the intention of creating video are usually recorded in 16:9.
The format in Photoshop
To work in Photoshop in 16:9 format, we have to keep in mind that it is an aspect ratio. What we need to do is define the project’s pixels so they match the 16:9 proportion.
16:9 format in pixels
The pixels will vary since it is a proportion; this variation depends on the resolution of the image.
| Resolution | Pixels |
|---|---|
| 8K UHD | 7680 × 4320 |
| 4K UHD | 3840 × 2160 |
| 1440p (QHD) | 2560 × 1440 |
| 1080p (Full HD) | 1920 × 1080 |
| 720p (HD) | 1280 × 720 |
| 480p | 854 × 480 |
| 360p | 640 × 360 |
Dynamic format changes
Once we understand the concepts of aspect ratio and composition, we can give the formats themselves a narrative.
One of the most interesting techniques regarding formats is the dynamic change of format within the project itself.
Take the case of the film “Mommy”, in which Xavier Dolan uses the 4:3 format to show the confinement and pressure to which the protagonist is subjected during almost the entire film.
At a certain moment, Dolan dynamically changes the format from 4:3 to 16:9 just as the character makes a gesture of liberation, spreading his arms and giving the sensation that he himself removes the black bars on the sides.
Creating new space on the sides and giving breadth and air to the viewer.
This is an example of how formats support and lend narrative to the story, and how we can play with them and between them to generate different emotions and sensations.