Portrait or landscape? My winter screen saver is generally a photo reminding me of a nice, warm summer day. I took this photo last June and it's presently my iMac's screen saver.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

My winter screen saver is generally a photo reminding me of a nice, warm summer day. I took this photo last June and it's presently my iMac's screen saver. However, my synced iPad decided to display the photo in portrait mode effectively cropping the landscape format into a portrait format.

Which format do you think provides the better picture? Why? Would you crop either, further? I'm interested because several friends had differing opinions.

(Download)

jimvanells Loc: Augusta, GA

IMHO, the landscape has more of sense of place. The portrait shows just a gravel road into the woods.

Ruthlessrider

I agree with Jim.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I like the landscape because it provides a better sense of the surroundings.
But, under your circumstances, I think the portrait would look nice on a tablet if the tablet is held vertically.
Just a different aspect ratio, different "viewing application".

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

Landscape for sure.

Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains

I prefer the landscape version. Cropping out the shadow in the extreme foreground might make it better to my eye.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Yep. Landscape.

Warhorse Loc: SE Michigan

Another landscape vote here.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

None is good enough. Composition is lacking.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Rongnongno wrote:

None is good enough. Composition is lacking.

For you maybe, but it might be very meaningful to the photographer....

Like pictures I have of the old family farm in Ontario.

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

fourlocks wrote:

My winter screen saver is generally a photo reminding me of a nice, warm summer day. I took this photo last June and it's presently my iMac's screen saver. However, my synced iPad decided to display the photo in portrait mode effectively cropping the landscape format into a portrait format.

Which format do you think provides the better picture? Why? Would you crop either, further? I'm interested because several friends had differing opinions.

To quote film director John Ford in the movie The Fablemans ...., "You can put the horizon at the bottom or the top ..., never in the middle". I'm testing this theory with the attached rendition of your picture. I did not crop the picture but used PS to stretch the canvas vertically putting the horizon in the upper 1/3 of the frame. I'd be interested in hearing comments, one way or the other.

(Download)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

SonyA580 wrote:

To quote film director John Ford in the movie The Fablemans ...., "You can put the horizon at the bottom or the top ..., never in the middle". I'm testing this theory with the attached rendition of your picture. I did not crop the picture but used PS to stretch the canvas vertically putting the horizon in the upper 1/3 of the frame. I'd be interested in hearing comments, one way or the other.

I prefer the sky showing in the original.
(No horizon in the middle is not a steadfast rule.)

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

fourlocks wrote:

My winter screen saver is generally a photo reminding me of a nice, warm summer day. I took this photo last June and it's presently my iMac's screen saver. However, my synced iPad decided to display the photo in portrait mode effectively cropping the landscape format into a portrait format.

Which format do you think provides the better picture? Why? Would you crop either, further? I'm interested because several friends had differing opinions.

Landscape, but I would crop the shadows below.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

fourlocks wrote:

My winter screen saver is generally a photo reminding me of a nice, warm summer day. I took this photo last June and it's presently my iMac's screen saver. However, my synced iPad decided to display the photo in portrait mode effectively cropping the landscape format into a portrait format.

Which format do you think provides the better picture? Why? Would you crop either, further? I'm interested because several friends had differing opinions.

Clearly this was visualized as a wide view from its origin. But I think there is an interesting portrait version hiding inside it. Try framing it with the two rock walls symmetrically balanced. Also try cropping out some of the foreground...at least all of the shadow. See what happens and what you think.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

SonyA580 wrote:

To quote film director John Ford in the movie The Fablemans ...., "You can put the horizon at the bottom or the top ..., never in the middle". I'm testing this theory with the attached rendition of your picture. I did not crop the picture but used PS to stretch the canvas vertically putting the horizon in the upper 1/3 of the frame. I'd be interested in hearing comments, one way or the other.

It works beautifully - and I would never have thought of anything like this "rule" spouted by John Ford if I were shooting the scene. If it looks good and it works, who cares

I love the shot