When out photographing landscapes have you ever wondered, “when is a good time to try a vertical composition?”
The answer:
Immediately after photographing the scene horizontally of course!
Personally I find that in a scene like this the vertical composition adds more depth to the photograph. Which is also why so many of my waterfall and stream photos captured this way.
Jeff Sinon Photography 
Jeff – Both are very nice but I also like the vertical due to the better definition of the rocks in the foreground – Nice!
Thanks Scott! I find that in almost all cases when I photograph a stream like this the vertical ends up being my favorite. The better foreground being a prime reason.
They are both beautiful, but I think I like the vertical shot the best :). I have started making it a habit to take both horizontal and vertical shots as much as possible, and it is quite interesting to compare the results.
Yes, it’s amazing how simply changing the orientation of the camera can yield a totally different photograph.
Great advice! I find myself in all kinds of crazy stances trying to get the perfect perspective 🙂
That’s the only way to fly! Once you get the standard, and sometimes blah, normal composition it’s time to have some fun 🙂
Awesome shots Jeff! I’m definitely a fan on the vertical here (as I’m sure you can tell from the ones that I posted). I really like your vertical one. I really really like definition in your rocks on the right hand side of the photograph, just barely underwater, and what the water does in the image after flowing over those rocks.
Thanks Nate! I’m definitely drawn to vertical compositions when it comes to a scenes like this. In fact, for me the question should be “How do you know when to take a horizontal image?” I tell you, I love my Really Right Stuff L plate. Makes switching from portrait to landscape, and back again a breeze.
Agree! Both beautiful, prefer the vertical. Always do both!
Thanks Tina. I really need to follow that advice, but in reverse. I’m such a fan of portrait oriented landscape photos that I often forget to shoot the scene horizontally 😛
Nice shots, its sometimes difficult to accurately capture the movement of water
Yes, especially if the like isn’t right. We were lucky with a nice overcast day, so getting the right shutter speed( the biggest challenge in these types of shots) was actually very easy. I only needed my circular polarizer. Usually in brighter light a neutral density filter comes into play as well.
Jeff, the water in these pictures look like clouds, cottony, foamy. Does it really look like that?
Valentina that “dreamy” look is created solely by the long exposure used. I usually try for at least a 2-5 second exposure to get the look I’m after. Though I’ve been know to use from 30 seconds to over a minute exposures if I’m photographing at the coast. That really gives the waves and surf an almost smoke-like look to it.
A tripod is an absolute must, and a remote shutter release is very helpful. Though the cameras self timer works well too.
Very helpful, thank you Jeff. If I photograph an interior room with the same technique, will I get a dreamy look as well, or that works better in the nature?
That look would really only apply to anything moving in the scene. If you had a water feature, or even a running faucet in the room, the water would look like that. As long as the exposure was long enough. Otherwise a longer exposure really wouldn’t change the photo at all if everything in the room were sitting still.
Thank you Jeff for your kind mini lesson. I love photography and I appreciate other people’s work in this field. It will take some time for me to get better personal photos. A professional takes pictures of my design work.
Any time. I’m more than willing to share what little knowledge I have. I have probably mentioned this before, but if you ever have any questions don’t hesitate to ask.
Thank you, very kind of you to share.
Imust try it on the mountain streams here.. I do use vertical in a forest..
One thing I find that really helps is to get low, and get wet. I’ll get right into the stream if I can do so safely, then set up a vertical shot that has a good foreground and let the stream lead the eye through the image.
Yes! That is the answer!
EXACTLY!
Yes, that is the correct answer. It is just a question of remembering to shoot both ways. Sometimes I forget. I do prefer your vertical in this case, but since you can always choose between the two later, it is important to remember to shoot both 🙂
Very true. But like I mentioned in another reply, I have to try to remember to shoot horizontally. When I’m photographing a river, waterfall, or stream I’d say 60+% of the time the image is composed vertically.
Beautiful photos Jeff.
Thanks Cardinal!
Oh I missed this one cause of my trip :). Top notch work, inspiring… Hubby does not like portrait formats, but I am very partial to them. In this case you have captured something amazing – intriguing view 🙂
Thank you! I think you had a very good reason to miss it. Based on the photos you’ve shared so far I say Paris was very good to you.
What do husbands know anyway 😛 I’ll bet I shoot between 60% – 75% of my shots involving rivers, streams, and waterfalls in portrait. I think they add more depth to the image.
Yes!!! Exactly :). Paris loved me as much as I loved it 🙂 😀
Both are amazing, but the portrait shot definitely shows more depth and movement.
Thank you very much. With scenes like this I do tend to favor a nice portrait shot.
I prefer the portrait one. It directs the eyes the way up to where the water is coming from.
Me too. With scenes like this I usually go for a vertical composition first. Then I’ll try horizontal, but the vertical is almost always the one I like the best.
Portrait one all the way….it gives more depth to the view and eyes can follow the stream upwards much more than landscape one.
My thoughts exactly! Besides wanting to stand out from the crowd of normally horizontal landscape photographs with my portrait oriented shots, in a scene like this I almost always like the portrait better.
I try the portrait format from time to time and did so here last year in particular … http://lespetitspasdejuls.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/photo-of-the-week-the-legend-lives/
it’s one of the picture I really like in this format and I love trying this perspective on things and places because it gives them another sense of perspective.
between your 2 pictures, I’m like everyone else and can only be attracted to the second one, the portrait format gives it so much more depth.
thanks for this new lesson on how to become a better photographer, or at least, how to train our eyes at things differently.
Thanks Julie, I love that photograph!
As the question goes, “When is the best time to take a portrait photo? Right after the landscape one,” or something to that effect, when I’m photographing scenes like this, I usually think the other way around and go right for the vertical composition first. Actually, the horizontal is almost an afterthought, and is rarely my favorite of the two.
Thanks Jeff! I’m even happier to have shared it with you then 😀
and I couldn’t resist posting 2 other series today http://lespetitspasdejuls.wordpress.com/2013/08/10/one-shot-two-ways-2/
http://lespetitspasdejuls.wordpress.com/2013/08/10/one-shot-two-ways-3/
Hope you’ll like them too!
Great job on all of them, and I think I like the portrait version too. What I think is a little bit strange is that each photo is good on its own, but when I’m given the choice of two scenes shot both ways I almost always favor the portrait.
Did a hike in Israel’s Negev desert the day after reading your post. Here are 3 photo pairs. http://israel-tourguide.info/2013/08/11/weekly-photo-challenge-one-shot-two-ways/
Great photos too!
They are both beautiful! However, I think that the vertical gives the essence of this particular view of the river, flowing down the line of the image toward the viewer. There is more power in it.
Thank you, and I agree. More often than not, with a scene like this I will only make a vertical composition. I think it just works better,