15. Format. Vertical vs. Horizontal.

As the general rule: hold your camera vertically for a vertical subject and horizontally for a horizontal one. Unless you have a reason for doing otherwise, not complying with this rule could crop out some important details of the image, or create empty space which contributes nothing to your picture and tends to reduce strength in your composition. While showing height or depth, and forcing the eye to scan up and down, comparing and relating the objects in your picture to each other, vertical format is usually a more off-beat approach to framing your subject and could also be used in order to emphasize the separation between the two ends of the picture area's frame, the bottom and the top of it.

I used Kodachrome 64 film, Bogen tripod, cable release, Mets 60 CT 1 Flash, Mamiya 67 camera with a 55mm lens to photograph first image of the Spldiers' & Sailors' Monument during the Christmas night. The second image was shot using the same equipment, but the camera choice was Minolta x-700 and a 24-70 wide angle zoom lens. The exposure for the second image was set at 1/60 at f.8.

Horizontal format and its proportions, on the other hand, seem to appear the most 'naturally', probably due to the way in which our eyes are set and the way in which we view the world.

Theatrical stages, movie and T.V.'s screens use horizontal shapes too. This format is often used when photographing groups, often allowing to include more elements into the picture. Always try to leave room for your subject to grow' and to 'go', and do not crop eccessively when using vertical format. Taking pictures in the horizontal format, leave some room for your subject(s) to enter into or be left behind him.