Project: Frame Shape and Sizes

Exercise: Vertical and Horizontal Frames

Take 20 photographs in vertical (portrait) format and 20 photographs in horizontal (landscape) format.  Attempt to ensure that both formats are of the same scene.  Compare the ‘pairs’ of images and note that each scene can be fitted into both formats fairly successfully, but some scenes suit one format better and format selection is really mostly a matter of a habit.

Image 40: f/8 ISO 100 1/60 65mm

Image 39: f/8 ISO 100 1/60 50mm

Image 38: f/8 ISO 100 1/20 50mm

Image 37: f/8 ISO 100 1/30 50mm

Image 36: f/8 ISO 800 1/500 44mm

Image 35: f/8 ISO 800 1/350 44mm

Image 34: f/8 ISO 800 1/180 28mm

Image 33: f/8 ISO 800 1/125 95mm

Image 32: f/8 ISO 800 1/180 105mm

Image 31: f/8 ISO 800 1/180 105mm

Image 30: f/8 ISO 100 1/20 56mm

Image 29: f/8 ISO 100 1/30 56mm

Image 28: f/8 ISO 100 1/30 70mm

Image 27: f/8 ISO 100 1/20 70mm

Image 26: f/8 ISO 100 1/45 135mm

Image 25: f/8 ISO 100 1/45 135mm

Image 24: f/8 ISO 100 1/20 112mm

Image 23: f/8 ISO 100 1/30 135mm

Image 22: f/10 ISO 400 1/45 28mm

Image 21: f/10 ISO 400 1/30 28mm

Image 20: f/11 ISO 100 1/15 23mm

Image 19: f/11 ISO 100 1/20 18mm

Image 18: f/4.5 ISO 100 1/60 29mm

Image 17: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/60 21mm

Image 16: f/10 ISO 100 1/90 34mm

Image 15: f/10 ISO 100 1/60 23mm

Image 14: f/8 ISO 100 1/90 29mm

Image 13: f/8 ISO 100 1/90 18mm

Image 12: f/4 ISO 100 1/350 29mm

Image 11: f/4 ISO 100 1/350 29mm

Image 10: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/180 21mm

Image 9: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/180 21mm

Image 8: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/350 18mm

Image 7: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/350 18mm

Image 6: f/4.5 ISO 100 1/60 46mm

Image 5: f/4.5 ISO 100 1/60 46mm

Image 4: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/350 18mm

Image 3: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/350 18mm

Image 2: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/250 18mm

Image 1: f/3.5 ISO 100 1/250 18mm

Exercise Learning

I found this exercise quite easy to complete without thinking about the orientation of the viewfinder and looking for images that fitted the vertical (portrait) format better.

I also would not agree that the choice of orientation is just a matter of habit.  Although the image required can be obtained from both vertical and horizontal (landscape) format, the fact is that the perspective changes as does the need to crop images to make them the same.  By having to crop, the section of the image required has to magnify and the sharpness could therefore become compromised.  By using the most suitable orientation for the photograph being taken reduces the necessity for large amounts of cropping and possible sharpness compromise.

My observation from this exercise is that where a major element of the image required is tall by comparison to the rest, then vertical (portrait) orientation is best.  Where this condition is not met, then horizontal (landscape) orientation is better.

I have chosen the images which I think show this most clearly: –

BEST

 5                       6

12                    11

16                    15

17                    18

22                    21

23                    24

28                    27

33                    34

36                    35

40                    39