Not EVERY potrait must be shot in portrait orientation!

[Robin Usagani]

Not EVERY portrait must be shot in portrait orientation!

Nor must the rule of thirds be observed, nor must horizons be off center!

Well, duh! The idea is to utilize the compositional space effectively, and to match the subject's orientation to the framing of the image. Vertical images often convey action, vigor, uprightness, and so on; horizontal images often convey tranquility, restfulness, stillness.

The key to success in portraiture is to know and to understand the language of visual communication, and the elements and principles of design that are the basis for ALL of the arts. Or, look like a hack otherwise. Kids do some cute macaroni art in grade school don't they! A lot of the newbies here are at the macaroni art level.

Of course, if one wishes to look like an uneducated Mom With A Camera or Guy With a Camera, there's no need to study the visual arts, or to educate one's self; the lowest common denominator and anti-intellectualism can help one go far in life. A nice career in the janitorial arts, or sanitation collection, or fast food awaits those who have no education from schools, while a promising career as a Craiglist or Facebook $40 per session shooter awaits those who fail to understand how to point a camera at a person, or to pose a person.

I agree with that. Like I said before, I wanted to potray a different mood when I shoot weddings or engangement session. But you telling me that im just a guy with camera and no different than MWC is what I have problem with. All the wedding photographers I look up to do over 90% horizontal. You just saw my senior photos, I did that almost all vertical. But I will continue taking wedding pics with mostly horizontal. Thanks!

 

[Derrel]

ghache stalking behavior


"Look everybody--it's my own personal internet stalker!!! He loves following me around TPF, leaving little comments. Aren't stalking French-Canadians cute!?! lol"


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...led-third-step-increments-shutter-speeds.html (post #7)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-pictures-ladies-summer-several-pictures.html (post #5)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...d-ass-photoshoot-semi-nsfw-pic-intensive.html (post #5)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...t-computer-go-you-guys-use-6.html#post2293367 (post #89)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/professional-gallery/250702-my-first-senior-pics.html#post2295051 (post #6)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...640-file-transfer-question-2.html#post2295058 (post #22)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-looking-cc-exposure-focus-2.html#post2295074 (post #18)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/250406-24-105mm-l-soft-need-help-2.html (post #26)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...640-file-transfer-question-2.html#post2295063 (post #22)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...y-potrait-must-shot-portrait-orientation.html (post #15)

 

[Village Idiot]

I think it's just because most of the time people who don't shoot in portrait seem to cut off the top of the subjects head

i agree with misscream they tend to cut the heads off people seem to zoom in too much

So? That hasn't stopped Platon from shooting world leaders and huge celebrities with nice medium format cameras.

 

[Village Idiot]

I think it's just because most of the time people who don't shoot in portrait seem to cut off the top of the subjects head

ghache stalking behavior


"Look everybody--it's my own personal internet stalker!!! He loves following me around TPF, leaving little comments. Aren't stalking French-Canadians cute!?! lol"


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...led-third-step-increments-shutter-speeds.html (post #7)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-pictures-ladies-summer-several-pictures.html (post #5)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...d-ass-photoshoot-semi-nsfw-pic-intensive.html (post #5)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...t-computer-go-you-guys-use-6.html#post2293367 (post #89)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/professional-gallery/250702-my-first-senior-pics.html#post2295051 (post #6)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...640-file-transfer-question-2.html#post2295058 (post #22)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-looking-cc-exposure-focus-2.html#post2295074 (post #18)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/250406-24-105mm-l-soft-need-help-2.html (post #26)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...640-file-transfer-question-2.html#post2295063 (post #22)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...y-potrait-must-shot-portrait-orientation.html (post #15)

Yet you're keeping track of all these posts? :er:

 

[ghache]

I think it's just because most of the time people who don't shoot in portrait seem to cut off the top of the subjects head

ghache stalking behavior



"Look everybody--it's my own personal internet stalker!!! He loves following me around TPF, leaving little comments. Aren't stalking French-Canadians cute!?! lol"


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...led-third-step-increments-shutter-speeds.html (post #7)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-pictures-ladies-summer-several-pictures.html (post #5)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...d-ass-photoshoot-semi-nsfw-pic-intensive.html (post #5)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...t-computer-go-you-guys-use-6.html#post2293367 (post #89)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/professional-gallery/250702-my-first-senior-pics.html#post2295051 (post #6)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...640-file-transfer-question-2.html#post2295058 (post #22)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-looking-cc-exposure-focus-2.html#post2295074 (post #18)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/250406-24-105mm-l-soft-need-help-2.html (post #26)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...640-file-transfer-question-2.html#post2295063 (post #22)


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...y-potrait-must-shot-portrait-orientation.html (post #15)

Yet you're keeping track of all these posts? :er:

hahaha, hes building a case on me! damnn

 

[MissCream]

I think it's just because most of the time people who don't shoot in portrait seem to cut off the top of the subjects head

i agree with misscream they tend to cut the heads off people seem to zoom in too much

So? That hasn't stopped Platon from shooting world leaders and huge celebrities with nice medium format cameras.

I think what I had in mind was beginners using landscape. If you know what you are doing already then fine! I almost never cut tops of heads off but I do sometimes crop them so that part of the head is gone

 

[joealcantar]

So back to portrait orientation vs Horizontal any thoughts on this? Surprised no-one has mentioned the Square Format? and why not use that as well.

-
Shoot well, Joe

 

[Derrel]

[All the wedding photographers I look up to do over 90% horizontal. You just saw my senior photos, I did that almost all vertical. But I will continue taking wedding pics with mostly horizontal. Thanks!

Have you read any books on composition? On the visual arts? Have you taken any classes in painting or drawing? Have you studied art history? Have you been tutored by a master-level professional or amateur photographer? Have you read any books on portrait methods? Have you done any figure drawing? Have you studied the works of true masters of photography, painting, or sculpture?

Most MWACs will answer "NO!" to each and every one of those questions. You proabbly will answer "NO!" to most of them. Ergo...you ARE just like a MWAC, but are instead a GWAC, or a self-taught guy with a camera.

And you state that "90% of wedding photographers you look up to shoot horizontals"....well, you know what they say about "the lowest common denominator", right? Hell man, maggots eat feces---ten trillion flies can't possibly be wrong, can they? WalMart is one of American's most-successful retailers, so you could use your logic and make the case that it is THE BEST STORE in the USA.

If you do not understand the elements and principles of design, you're simply entering into an argument where your ignorance leads you to feel attacked. I could care less if 90% of self-taught, uneducated, Craigslist and Facebook wedding "photographers" shoot horizontals...millions of people consider Kraft macaroni and cheese and a Pepsi to be "a nice dinner." if you wish to defend your artistic education, feel free to. Let's see you pound out a quick essay on even ONE PRINCIPLE of design, and post it here within 3 minutes-- and not something cut and pasted from Wikipedia...oh,wait, you don't KNOW anything about what you're arguing about!!!!

 

[MissCream]

So back to portrait orientation vs Horizontal any thoughts on this? Surprised no-one has mentioned the Square Format? and why not use that as well.

-
Shoot well, Joe

I always feel like I'm doing something wrong when I do that. I think it's just because it's harder to print and frame!

 

[tirediron]

ghache stalking behavior...

Oh come on Derrel, you have to admit that even for you, that last post took "pretentious" to a whole new level!

Edited to add: Never mind #23 just trumped it!

 

[analog.universe]

<3 Square Format

 

[Robin Usagani]

I even started a thread about you derrel. Shut it with these non sense.

Horizontal orientation - FM Forums

 

[MissCream]

[All the wedding photographers I look up to do over 90% horizontal. You just saw my senior photos, I did that almost all vertical. But I will continue taking wedding pics with mostly horizontal. Thanks!

Have you read any books on composition? On the visual arts? Have you taken any classes in painting or drawing? Have you studied art history? Have you been tutored by a master-level professional or amateur photographer? Have you read any books on portrait methods? Have you done any figure drawing? Have you studied the works of true masters of photography, painting, or sculpture?

Most MWACs will answer "NO!" to each and every one of those questions. You proabbly will answer "NO!" to most of them. Ergo...you ARE just like a MWAC, but are instead a GWAC, or a self-taught guy with a camera.

MWAC answering yes!!

 

[kundalini]

So back to portrait orientation vs Horizontal any thoughts on this? Surprised no-one has mentioned the Square Format? and why not use that as well.

-
Shoot well, Joe

...... and what if you only use half the face? Is that wrong?

 

[tirediron]

So back to portrait orientation vs Horizontal any thoughts on this? Surprised no-one has mentioned the Square Format? and why not use that as well.

-
Shoot well, Joe

I always feel like I'm doing something wrong when I do that. I think it's just because it's harder to print and frame!

Me too; exactly the reason I went for Mamiya instead of Hasselblad with my MF gear. I can't 'think' square to save my life!