Richard1947 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Again, if so I apologize. It may be nothing more than semantics? I never expected so many experts would be on UHH. That’s great, seriously! I truly appreciate all of everyone’s comments on my photography posts. It definitely will be taken to heart and help me be better at my posts. I have used some of that feedback to dial back my saturation for additional comments and they are about 50/50 on improvement vs continued high saturation. My biggest accolades from the community is that my composition and skill level is above average and I guess that’s all I can ask for. Thanks again!

Richard1947 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Super! Thanks for the clarification.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

OK, now I got over my "inner teacher" who misses teaching classes/students but not commuting, paper work, faculty meetings etc.

"Teaching" is great, being a faculty member usually sucks unless it is a group of teachers sitting around just being friends and colleagues.

Richard1947 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Again, I must be obtuse. I always thought Portraits included people. As far as horizontals being landscape only, I beg to differ. Your horizontal example is not of a landscape. But before you go ballistic on me, I know what you are trying to get across. You’re only referring to the shape of the framing you use. I just don’t choose to use your explanation as a rule of thumb. Let’s just be cordial and agree to understand one another’s perspective on this issue. Thanks for being a part of the discussion.

Richard1947 Loc: Knoxville, TN

I understand. My son teaches a Filmmaking class in a private school in Lakeland, Florida!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Nada problema. I am handicapped by having studied this stuff (both art history and photography) just for fun while in college. That is how as a history teacher I taught Photography for one year when the photo teacher became an administrator. I had enough units to qualify to teach the subject on an "emergency" basis. The Principal just added "History and Practice of..." to the class name while dropping the "Basic" from "Basic Photography". And instantly I was transformed from a history/geography/government teacher to a photo teacher for one year while they hunted for a photographer with a teaching credential to take over permanently.

The confusion is that each word has multiple meanings.* In art, graphics and photos "portrait format" is the term for an image that is taller than it is wide - but a portrait or portraits are pictures of animals or people and usually oriented in "portrait format" but they can be square or even in landscape/horizontal format (like a class portrait).

A landscape is a picture of a piece of countryside or a even a city scene (though some use cityscape or the clumsy "urban landscape") while landscape format is an image that is wider than it is tall.

*English is wonderful for that, currently the word with the most meanings is the verb "set" which in the 1989 edition of the Oxford dictionary had 430 meanings but they anticipate that in the next edition scheduled for 2037 the word "run" will have nearly 650 meanings. But that means we have 17 years for some other word to break away from the field and outdo that.

Richard1947 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Your last paragraph blew me away! That’s incredible. Only in America.

MrMophoto Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"

Yes, I just wanted to make the distinction that the orientation of a photograph is different from the compositional form used. In class I refer to them as "compositional structures". Regardless of what you are using the photograph for or if it will include copy or not, all images have some compositional structure to it - sometimes it enhances the image and sometimes it detracts. Understanding and using composition as a means to improve your "art" is something every one should practice, like I stated in my last post it is the one thing that is going to set your great photograph from all the other great photographs. Composition is also one of the characteristics that makes certain photographs stand out as iconic, not only do they freeze a moment in time but they are also interesting to look at from an aesthetic aspect. As part of my curriculum, I have put together a doc that describes these structures as I see them. I don't consider my self an expert by any means, I consider myself an artist that employs composition. I am also a teacher and have been for 25+ years, so I do tend to feel like I have to explain things as a teacher would, my apologies.
Some time ago I posted that doc in response to a similar thread and I will post that doc again tomorrow. Like I said, I don't consider myself an "expert" I just want to share my understanding of what makes a great photograph better.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Oh, I forgot, that is the Oxford Unabridged Dictionary out of Oxford University publishing in England so it has meanings from all the English speaking countries around the world.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I was intending to comment; but, after reading the already-posted responses, I decided that discretion is the better part of valor and shall defer. I will comment that if you had shot the photo of your son as a horizontal it probably would have become a shot of him on a rock rather than one of him apparently soaking in the vastness of the surroundings, thereby killing the photo.

By the way, I like vertical compositions when the situation calls for them--yours here do.

donrosshill Loc: Delaware & Florida

Your question is very timely in todays world of Cell Phones.
If you notice, most users of cell phones are using it in the Vertical format. Very few appear to be using the Horizontal feature.
In the past the predominant method with conventional Cameras has been Horizontal format. Being an Old photographer my Image preference has been to the Horizontal. I do note that all conventional cameras are built to the Horizontal format. Yes, yes I know lets not forget the Hasselblad and Rollie square formats.

I think that the best way is to analyze the subject that you intend to photograph regardless of the camera or Cell phone you are using and make the appropriate decision.
Good shooting and enjoy. Don

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

I thought they were all very nice. I use "portrait" orientation a lot (but I'm not shooting to publish in a magazine--I just think the subject requires it).

And, BTW, it's the "Capitol Building".

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Very good set, Richard.

canondave1 Loc: Houston, TX

Often times a vertical shot will make a difference in a good vs mediocre image. Yours are very nice!