Make it a point to be on the lookout for the verticals everywhere; they really are as plentiful as the more obvious horizontals. This image reminds me of a student I had some years ago. She had a plethora of compositions that, almost without fail, would find the main subject on the left or right with “empty” space on the opposite side. I told her that she needed to shoot these same subjects inside the vertical frame, not only to fill up the frame with the natural vertical subject but also to have a shot at magazine and book covers. She quickly fired back that she had done this deliberately because her client, Argus Publishing, required a horizontal format with empty space on one side, since they used that space to place Bible passages and inspirational quotes. Did I ever get an earful that day! Now, whenever I review a large body of a student’s work, I start by asking if the student is shooting for Argus Publishing. If the answer is no, only then do I give them a piece of my mind!

In all seriousness, I do call attention to the obvious verticals in my students’ horizontal compositions, much as in these images of a young woman in “costume” in Angkor Wat. Note the stronger and more dignified vertical composition. Since it provides more room to fill the frame with my vertical subject, she also looks taller and more pronounced.

Both images: Nikon D3X with Nikkor 24–85mm lens at 35mm, f/11 for 1/60 sec., ISO 100