TOMMY WILLIAMS / L’Observateur / June 26, 1999

Because we now live in what many may call the “information era,” it’s difficult to imagine how many individuals rejected the concepts of Galileo Galilei and others like him. Galileo (1564-1642) was an Italian physicist andastronomer who pioneered the use of the telescope and authored many documents in support of a theory that viewed earth as a free floating object that revolved around the sun. Due to his views, Galileo was sentenced to lifeimprisonment by the Roman Catholic church in 1633, and it wasn’t until 1992 that the church finally publicly acknowledge the Vatican’s error.

Although I am well aware that this isn’t a History 101 course, this is leading up to something important. For as long as I’ve been involved with photographythey have been many individuals who have the persisted in maintaining their same views and refusing to change. Fortunately for us, the view that I’mreferring to is their persistent use of a horizontal (landscape) format of taking pictures. Even though a camera can be held in an infinite number ofpositions, at this time, let’s only discuss the vertical and horizontal angles.

Please keep in mind that this article, as with some other recent articles, is information that is being re-visited due to the value of its information for new readers.

If you vertically position your camera it should be in the same upright position or angle that your garbage can is, before the garbage man passes.

With point-shoot cameras position the camera so that the flash is to the top or upside of camera. This position allows the shadow to fall low and behindthe subject. Placing the flash on the bottom or lower side of camera willforce the shadow to rise or tower above the subject. Vertical positioning ofthe camera can be used for shooting photos of anything in an upright position, such as buildings, trees,or people. Keep in mind that both vertical andhorizontal views can be used on almost any subject or object.

On the other hand, a horizontal camera position is the same position or angle as your garbage can after the garbage man has passed. This is the cameraposition is the most frequently used view by many camera buffs, maybe too frequently. The horizontal view is great for landscapes, skylines or largegroups of people. The only way to determine which view or camera positionsuits any one specific subject or object is to experiment with your photos.

Using both the horizontal and vertical angles when taking pictures can greatly influence how others view your photos and life. Maybe in 359 years from now,with a little research, they’ll determine that we shoot most of our photos in the horizontal position because we were genetically predisposed to the belief that the world is flat.

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