Post 488: Composition 12. Find the Best Orientation

Composition 12. Find the Best Orientation

This is Part 12 of my series on Composition

Find the best orientation to design your artwork. 

When you use a printer or take a photograph, you decide between portrait and landscape. When framing your artwork, portraits usually hang vertically and landscapes usually hang horizontally. But there is more to the decision than that.

In photography, finding the best orientation is a bit simpler decision than on canvas as your options do not necessarily have to be made right there. You can easily take shots of your subject by holding the camera horizontally and then taking the photo again, vertically. Then figure out your best shot(s) later.

 

Portrait 

Portraits are most often taken with the camera held vertically, or there are a good many vertical elements in the shot that are best captured to see the height, vertically.

 

Photo by Damon Lam on Unsplash 

 

This photograph just wouldn't be right if it was horizontal, correct?

 

Landscape

Holding the camera for that landscape image is typically with the camera being held horizontally. There are usually a lot of horizontal elements in your subject like mountains. 

 

Photo by Majestic Lukas on Unsplash 

 I don't think this photograph would have the same feeling to it at all if it was vertical. The emotion of it would be lost. What do you think?

 

Panorama

Panorama can be horizontal or vertical, just find what will work best, or more interesting for your subject.

Aspect Ratio

Aspect Ratio is defined as, "An aspect ratio is the dimensions of an image expressed in a ratio form. You determine the aspect ratio by comparing an image’s width and height, then writing it as a width:height ratio (such as 3:2 or 4:5)." - Digital Photography School

In even simpler terms, the aspect ratio is the size of the image taken by the camera.

A good read is Shutterstock - A Guide to Common Aspect Ratios

When finding the best orientation and aspect ratio for your image, print, or artwork, you will determine how the subject(s) or the scene will be captured on the it. It is the decision to figure out what size of canvas and will it be horizontal or vertical to best display.

This is part of a series of blog posts on the guidelines, or rules of composition. Look for all of them in the Search this Blog feature at the top right by searching for the word "composition". I hope you enjoy the posts!

@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission

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Author: Donna Liguria  is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.

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