Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

It was such a beautiful day, yesterday, that we decided to take a morning trip up to Estes Park, and then briefly into Rocky Mountain National Park. The park is open, though no one is working there. (Of the four people in the car, three of us have lifetime geezer passes, and not a one was needed.) The roads we were on were plowed, but, as you might expect, those areas that seldom see sun will be a bit on the icy side.

The scenery was beautiful -- snow-capped peaks set against clear, blue sky. Beautiful vistas, everywhere, but the challenge was finding a spot that was properly lit. It seemed that the best views were compromised by the sun beaming at the camera. Still, I managed to get several that I really liked.

Most of the time, we'll see landscape photographs that feature landscape orientation. That's only natural, since we tend to see wider than we do tall. But, I've always been intrigued by landscape shots that feature portrait orientation, simply because I don't see it as often. Of course, the scene has to support a portrait orientation, otherwise it just looks like the photographer is merely cropping out undesirable parts.

Here are two shots of different scenes. The first scene, clearly, supported a landscape orientation, because there is a horizontal strip of snow covered mountains. The scene represented by the second shot, however, did not support a landscape orientation. The snow-capped peak, while beautifully lit by the sun to my back, only appeared through a small window of dense trees. I felt that a landscape orientation would have included too much of those trees, lessening the impact of the snow covered mountains, and the snow covered field in which I was standing. Plus, I had that nice, tall tree, on the right, which was begging me to take this in portrait orientation. (The tree was too tall to be included, completely. I still wanted to emphasize the mountain.)

Anyway, it was fun hanging out with my wife, my sister, and her husband. A splendid time was had by all.

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UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Excellent shots!

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks! It always helps to be in a place that gives you splendid views no matter which way you look.

guardineer

Very nice and I give you a high five on the portrait application..

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks!

SpikeW Loc: Butler PA

I can remember one time I turned the camera to vertical because there were some moose just off the road with the usual line of cars. Of course I had to take a photo and then after taking the picture I noticed a red maple above and to one side. To get both I had to turn the camera and it turned out to be one of my favorites so now I look at both ways often. Like your second photo--sometimes you need to see the trees to see the forest. Nice shots, I love the area and I was there when there were few people too.

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks! I try to remember to look both ways, but, sometimes I have to be reminded.

Few people is right. The place was deserted.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

You're such a great storyteller, Jim, I felt I was right there with you - and with my lifetime national park pass unneeded, as well. Very, very pretty photos.

And now we need a share topic of all-vertical orientation landscape shots! I have several, and all were achieved more easily via the use of rotating LCD screens

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks! One of my nephews accuses me of being too wordy. I told him he could always skip the prose, and go straight to the pics, but I think he thinks he HAS to read the stuff. He never knows, it could be about him.

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

What beautiful scenery, no wonder you all had a great time! With you all the way on the portrait format for the second image - suits it perfectly.

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks, all!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Because I shot for magazines for years, I always do vertical shots. They are, in fact, my favorite, usually. One always hopes for a cover!

These are really nice images. How nice to have FEW people!