Nicola's learning log: Exercise: Vertical and horizontal frames

Rufford Country Park, Nottinghamshire

I have taken 40 photo's both vertically and horizontally to demonstrate that most scenes work in either format.

As the weather was bright with sun and cloudy intervals, I took my filters out with me to use for some photos. A note to myself is to write down what filter I have used on what photo, because when I reviewed my photos I could not look critically at what I had used. I used my ND2 for the really bright shots (such as the silver tree) and my graduated one (GG1).

I have divided the photos into categories:

The Abbey

1/200 F7.1 ISO100 Focal Length 32mm

1/225 F7.1 ISO100 Focal Length 32mm

With the vertical photo, there is more of the column in the picture. The column's height is exaggerated because of the proportion. The challenge with the composition was the length of the abbey wall and the objects such as the chair and the lampost.

1/125 F7.1 ISO 100 Focal Length 35mm

1/80 F7.1 ISO100 Focal Length 28mm

I think both the vertical and horizontal version work here depending upon what scale you want to portray. I prefer the vertical one because it adds height to the building.

1/10 F8 ISO1600 Focal Length 18mm

The advantage with this picture that the bows fit into the natural arches of the abbey, keeping the shapes similar. The bow shape looks taller in this picture. I would like to crop the sides off the horizontal picture.

1/250 F8 ISO1600 Focal Length 24mm

1/640 F8 ISO1600 Focal Length 35mm

To me, the horizontal picture works better because there is less brickwork which is not needed.

1/6 F8 ISO1600 Focal Length 32mm

This horizontal picture works better that the vertical one because it shows the whole of the abbey.

1/6 F8 ISO1600 Focal Length 40mm

This shows what is missed off if you take the same picture vertically. I don't think this works because there is too much wasted space at the top.

The Sculpture Garden

1/125 F11 Exposure Compensation -1 ISO200 Focal Length 35mm

1/30 F11 Exposure Compensation -1 ISO100 Focal Length 50mm

I prefer the horizontal photo because it shows off the position of the sculptures.

1/250 F11 ISO200 Focal Length 35mm

1/200 F11 ISO200 Focal Length 60mm

I think the vertical photo shows more detail. I was able to crop out the trees which I think are distracting.

1/250 F11 ISO400 Focal Length 50mm

1/100 F11 ISO400 Focal Length 50mm

I prefer the vertical picture.I think it is the composition which is not balanced. I think I would crop this so I was in closer. This would then probably work for the vertical picture because it would remove the paths which are not symmetrical.

1/50 F11 ISO400 Focal Length 24mm

1/100 F11 ISO400 Focal Length 32mm

I prefer the vertical photo as it adds height to the sculptures and trees. I think that because the silver birch trees are planted in rows following the path and the sculptures, the photo works either way.

1/2000 F11 Exposure Compensation -1 ISO400 Focal Length 35mm

1/1250 F11 Exposure Compensation -1 ISO400 Focal Length 35mm

The vertical picture has more impact because the eye is drawn in rather than looking at the cloud or the treee.

1/800 F11 Exposure Compensation -1 ISO400 Focal Length 110mm

1/60 F18 Exposure Compensation -1 ISO400 Focal Length 90mm

The fence is made to look shorter by taking this picture horizontally. I think both pictures work. I wanted the posts in focus so I selected a deep depth of field. This made the tree at the back of the picture in focus. This photo needs cropping to remove the tree.

1/125 F18 Exposure Compensation -1 ISO400 Focal Length 28mm

1/100 F18 Exposure Compensation -1 ISO400 Focal Length 28mm

I prefer the vertical version as it has a feeling of height.

1/50 F16 ISO400 Focal Length 50mm

The horizontal version shows all of the archway whereas the vertical version has a feeling of height. I think they could both work.

1/60 F16 ISO400 Focal Length 20mm

1/160 F16 ISO400 Focal Length 24mm

The vertical picture concentrates on the sculpture rather than the surrounding sculptures. It makes the sculptures look taller and thinner. However, I think the sculptures are too tightly cropped.

1/100 F16 ISO800 Focal Length 28mm

1/80 F16 ISO800 Focal Length 32mm

I prefer the tree horizontally as it looks more majestic. here is too much wasted foreground space with the vertical picture and the branches of the tree have nowhere to go.

1/200 F16 ISO800 Focal Length 20mm

I prefer the vertical picture because it gives a sense of height and depth to the scene.

1/40 F10 ISO400 Focal Length 24mm

1/50 F10 ISO400 Focal Length 20mm

I took this thinking that this would look better as a vertical picture. When revieved, I think the horizontal format suits this better because there is more path which links in with the signpost.