Method and apparatus for selectively composing the content of a photograph

A method for selecting the area of a proof to be printed in a photographic process comprising the steps of,

• positioning a base frame in overlying relation with a photographic proof,
• viewing the entire print area of the proof through a window opening in the base frame,
• positioning a plurality of masking frames each having a window opening concentrically within the base frame with the frames having a common center,
• proportioning the area of the window openings of the masking frames with an outer masking frame positioned within the window of the base frame having a maximum window area,
• positioning a plurality of intermediate frames in a nested arrangement from the outer masking frame to an inner masking frame having a minimum window area,
• pivotally connecting each frame to an adjacent frame in series from the inner masking frame to the intermediate masking frames to the outer masking frame,
• pivotally connecting the outer masking frame to the base frame for independent movement of the outer masking frame into and out of position concentrically positioned to the base frame,
• pivoting all of the masking frames about the connection of the outer masking frame to the base frame upon pivotal movement of the outer masking frame on the base frame where movement of the outer masking frame moves the other masking frames,
• pivoting all of the masking frames to a first position where only the base frame overlies the photographic proof and the full printed area of the proof is seen through the window opening in the base frame,
• pivoting one by one each masking frame progressing from the outer masking frame to the inner masking frame from the first position into a position overlying the proof, and
• viewing individually the print area of the proof remaining fixed through the window opening of each masking frame as the masking frames are pivoted into and out of position over the proof from the outer masking frame to the inner masking frame to obtain a comparison of the viewable print areas for the masking frames.

A system for selecting the composition of a photographic print taken from the full print area of a proof comprising,

• a concentric arrangement of a plurality of masking frames each having an aperture of a selected area for viewing a portion of the full print area of the proof,
• said masking frames positioned one within another from a base frame having an aperture for viewing the full print area to intermediate masking frames to an inner masking frame having an aperture for viewing a minimum amount of the print area,
• said masking frames each having a common center,
• each of said masking frames pivotally connected to a surrounding masking frame to serially connect said masking frames and permit movement of a selected masking frame into and out of overlying relation with the proof to view a portion of the print area through said aperture with the remainder of the proof outside of said aperture concealed from view,
• said inner masking frame being serially connected through said intermediate masking frames to said base frame so that pivotal movement of said intermediate masking frame adjacent to said base frame moves the remaining masking frames,
• a plurality of negative cards for mounting a negative of the proof for printing,
• said negative cards each having a crop opening for exposing a selected area of the negative to be printed,
• said negative cards matched with said masking frames so that said crop opening of each of said negative cards exposes the same composition of the negative to be printed as the composition of the print viewable through the aperture of a corresponding one of said masking frames, and
• a selected one of said negative cards receiving the negative for producing a print having a composition viewed through said aperture of said matching masking frame.