Tips and Tricks: Getting Vertical

The following is one of the tips that photographer Bob Atkins contributed to the 100 in 100 feature on the Adorama website. We've peppered Bob's points with a few fine examples from some of our team members.

Candlelight notecard - ANJacobsen


Lovebirds - JMcGuinness

The natural tendency of most photographers is to shoot images in a horizontal (landscape) format rather than a vertical (portrait) format. There are probably at least two reasons for this. First, the most natural way of holding almost all cameras results in a horizontal format image. Second, we tend to see in a horizontal format mode (our field of view is wider than it is tall). Traditional art theory says that horizontal lines tend to suggest rest, calm and strength, while vertical lines tend to give an impression of height, grandeur and drama. By not turning the camera on its side and shooting a few verticals, you may be missing some great shots.

Peel Her Apart - lightleaks


At the Top - pfeifferphotos

Salt Girl - enaandtheswan

Of course you can always crop your images to a vertical or horizontal format, but for maximum quality it's good to shoot the images as close to the final composition as possible. Besides simple aesthetic considerations, remember too that if you have hopes of one day getting your shot on the cover of a magazine, they usually want verticals!

Fall Bokeh - Kristybee

My Favorite Place - barbraziemerphoto