August 5, 2010 Archive

On our recent vacation to Lake Tahoe, I noticed a super photo opportunity.  My wife and daughter were standing together on a pier with the lake shore and huge pine trees behind them (I was at the end of the pier looking back towards shore). As they posed and waited for me to snap the picture, I realized I could not get the two of them and the majestic trees in the back ground.  The easiest thing to fix, just turn the camera 90 degrees.

Most cameras give a horizontal orientation, meaning – the photo is wider than it is high.  You pictures are generally better suited for a wider subject area.  This is great for most panoramic shots but not the image I had in mind.  By simply rotating the camera, my shot became taller and narrower.  I this way I could get my wife and daughter, the ending of the pier and a bit of lake shore, and the tall pines in one frame.

When planing for your digital photo shoot, visualize the image you have in mind.  Do you want height or breadth?  Would your subject best be served in a wider horizontal shot or with a taller, vertical image?

Its as simple as twisting the camera to change the whole orientation, presentation, and drama of your shot.