| As an amateur, most people will pick up the camera | | | | Another example would be in nature shots. If the |
| and hold it in the typical lateral position for nearly every | | | | subject of focus is a single tree, a portrait orientation |
| shot. This "landscape" orientation often produces very | | | | would be effective in reducing some of the |
| acceptable images but in some instances, turning the | | | | extraneous objects to the left and right of the subject. |
| camera on end for a "portrait" shot is the better | | | | On the other hand, if the subject to be captured is a |
| choice. For those with very limited experience with | | | | gradually sloping mountain or the front and side of a |
| their digital camera the decision as to which orientation | | | | covered bridge, a landscape orientation would be more |
| to use can be confusing. | | | | appropriate. |
| Certainly, photographers can get quite creative and | | | | The movement of the subject is the other factor that |
| take shots of people at a variety of angles to provide | | | | should be considered when determining which way the |
| greater interest. Experimentation is not to be | | | | camera should be held. If the subject is moving left to |
| discouraged. However, for more reliable results, the | | | | right, a landscape orientation is more often the optimal |
| traditional orientation of portrait or landscape is typically | | | | choice but if movement is upward or downward, |
| recommended for beginners. Which way the digital | | | | portrait orientation often works best. |
| camera should be oriented generally depends on one | | | | For example, if the subject of a picture is to be a dog |
| of two things: the subject's position or the movement | | | | walking along a line of rail road tracks and the |
| of the subject. | | | | photographer wishes to capture the movement looking |
| One of the basic rules of photography is to focus on | | | | down the track off into the horizon, a portrait |
| the subject and to reduce the appearance of other | | | | orientation best demonstrates the movement. |
| items in the frame which will distract from the subject | | | | However, in the same scene, if the aim is to show the |
| within the image. Sometimes orienting the camera | | | | animal moving horizontally, versus off into the horizon, a |
| differently will allow the photographer to eliminate the | | | | landscape orientation would be preferable. In this case, |
| distractions without stepping in closer or cropping the | | | | it is not only the subject but the direction of movement |
| image later. For instance, if the subject is a person | | | | of that subject that determines how the image will be |
| standing, most often the orientation of the camera | | | | best captured. |
| should be portrait. This will result in fewer distracting | | | | As with any rule, there are instances where these |
| details showing up to the left and right of the person | | | | traditional guidelines can be violated with great results. |
| standing in the picture. However, if this same person is | | | | However, in most instances adhering to these |
| reclining, the orientation of the picture should generally | | | | guidelines will allow the beginning photographer to |
| be landscape. This will eliminate more of the dead | | | | capture images with their digital camera that they will |
| space or distracting items from above or below the | | | | be proud to display. |
| subject. | | | | |