Photo Tip #8: Shoot Vertical

As a follow up to yesterday's photo tip about cropping your photos -- think about shooting vertical. Just turn the camera ninety-degrees and get an entirely different view of things. But don't go vertical just to go vertical. If the image looks awkward, out of context, unbalanced or just plain bad - don't shoot it.

But some visuals are simply suited to be composed, and then experienced, vertically. The obvious example is basketball -- it's a vertical sport. But another obvious shot might be someone whose entire body is the picture -- meet John Bush of Phenix City who auditioned for American Idol in his work shorts and boots. I loved this shot!

Portraits can be beautiful either horizontal or vertical -- but when shooting horizontally, you must consider every single detail that is in the frame, because it either adds or detracts from your subject. Environmental portraits tell a story. Vertical portraits tell a story as well, with beautiful, tight, images of people. It's cropping in the frame -- ridding the image of all the nonessentials.

When thinking artistically -- think of the vertical frame like a vertical canvas -- and paint away!!

Robin