Composition: Portrait or landscape?

Composition: Horizontal or vertical?

A particular foremost dilemma in shooting snap is: Should I shoot portrait composition or landscape configuration. This suspicion arises in the premature phase of learning photography. This is not at all a bad question, rather indication that one is learning truly and intriguingly. Portrait composition means photo is vertically shot, where height is more compared to width. Landscape composition contradicts the portrait mode in dimensions. Aspect ratio of photograph depends on ultimate use of photo, category of photography practiced and of course the personal taste. Here I am listing the advantages and preferred use of both the types.

Use of landscape composition:

• When the width of object is more than height e.g. A car, range of mountains
• Used for landscape, documentary kind of photography
• Used when a large space in front of object is to be kept vacant
• 8 out of 10 photos are shot in landscape mode

Use of portrait composition:

•  When the height of object is more than width e.g. Close-up portrait, building
• Used for portraits, book-covers, subject has vertical shape
• Generally speaking, in outdoor photo shoot, sky forms the major of the background.

Let me remind again, these two formats can be interchanged depending upon the personal taste and there is no fix rule ! As I have demonstrated with a photo, same scenery is shot using both format. Portrait type can be used fr any book cover while landscape mode is usual and obvious shot. Here is one more example of portrait-landscape interchange: