Landscape vs Portrait : Which is the Best Way to Capture Your Desired Shots?

Since the evolution of photography, the terms portrait and landscape have been used by random photographers around. Furthermore, they're used while printing images or even just publishing a document on your home printer.

Yet, not many people are aware of the true meaning of both these terms. In this blog, we will take you through the detailed overview of both landscape and portrait photography. As we do that, we will take into account various recommendations and suggestions put forward by renowned photographer Mohsen Motamedian.

Understanding the concept

Mohsen Motamedian says that you almost certainly have a television plus a computer monitor or laptop screen in your home. Each of these gadgets is designed to be used in landscape mode.

Regardless of whether your tv is ultra-widescreen or not, it has a rectangular shape with longer top and bottom borders than sides. It also sits horizontally rather than vertically, with the sides being longer than the top and bottom.

The concept of portrait vs. landscape in photography is very similar. Let's look at each of these in greater depth and see how they apply to photography.

What exactly is a portrait?

When the frame of a picture rests vertically – that is, the side margins are longer than the top and bottom edges – it is called a portrait.

One of the best uses of portrait orientation is for photographing human portraits, as the name implies. Because the subject is taller than it is wide in this scenario, your photo will turn out similarly.

Max Motamedian USA further suggests that when capturing a headshot or portrait of a face, the neck, face, and hair are usually included. As a result of the combination of these characteristics, the head is taller than wide, making it better suited to portrait orientation.

Shaping your expression in a portrait will seem more natural and genuine, and it will be ideally framed to ensure the image appears balanced.

It's worth noting that this orientation isn't limited to taking photographs of living beings; it may be imaginatively applied to a variety of items and scenes.

What exactly is a landscape?

Landscape is simply the reversed part of Portrait. The top and bottom margins of your horizontally positioned television are longer than the sides.

The features of a landscape are, on average, much wider than they are higher. Consider a winding river or mountain range with a soft blue sky above and vacant fields in the foreground. Mohsen Motamedian USA says that holding your camera in landscape mode allows you to capture as much of the greatest elements of the image as possible.

As a result, less of the sky and foreground above and below the mountain range is captured. This strategy makes the mountains the focal point of the photograph and provides a pleasing compositional balance.

Which is better, portrait or landscape photography?

Max Motamedian suggests that there are better ways to create and display images and video, as we'll see. It all relies on the image's intended function and the composition you wish to use.

When taking images, the first basic guideline of composition to consider is whether to shoot in portrait or landscape mode. The same may be said for video.

Some of the subjects you photograph will look better in a portrait format composition. Others will appear more appealing when photographed in landscape mode. You'll learn which to choose for the optimal balance and composition with practise.

Of course, there is no such thing as a right or incorrect decision, but there are some fantastic compositional guidelines to follow.

Photographing a tall subject in landscape mode, for example, will not be as attractive to the eye. The topic will appear compressed, and the image's flow will be disrupted by extra space on either side of the subject.

When photographing a broad, wide subject in portrait mode, it may appear as if the subject is attempting to protrude out the sides of the frame.