Aphorisms from “Horizontal vs Vertical Composition in Street Photography”
“I don’t think it’s necessarily a technical decision — I think it’s much more an emotional, intuitive decision that you make at the moment when you press the shutter.”
“Every frame really does become a decision.”
“I’m interested in relating things together in a frame — in creating the most cohesive way to do this.”
“Whether or not you shoot horizontal or vertical can enhance the mood, change the rhythm, or shift the narrative of a photograph.”
“When I’m making a picture and deciding whether or not I want to shoot horizontal or vertical, it really does come down to the story I’m trying to tell.”
“You have to decide very quickly and spontaneously whether or not you’re going to shoot horizontal or vertical in order to tell the story.”
“I’m not looking at the world myopically anymore — I’m not looking at the world only horizontally.”
“The Ricoh GR really does make this camera the ultimate extension of the hand.”
“It’s a sleight of hand gesture that I’ve been adopting on the streets.”
“You don’t want to be overanalyzing in your head — you’re gonna feel it in your gut whether or not you should shoot horizontally or vertically.”
“Vertical is a good option for tight separations between the subject and the background.”
“Vertical frames make the viewer enter the frame in a more intimate way — they give you a narrow slice of the scene.”
“Life is a visual puzzle — you’re not overanalyzing, you’re making relationships through spontaneity.”
“Composition has nothing to do with the rule of thirds or leading lines — it’s a gut response at the scene.”
“Horizontal frames thrive when there’s lots of things going on — when you want to capture broader interactions.”
“Composition is not analytical — it’s felt.”
“Don’t get too caught up in your head; respond with your gut.”
“Every orientation is an opportunity.”
“Composition is a result of where you position your physical body in relationship to the subject and the background.”
“Stay fluid, stay curious, and let your instincts decide whether or not to turn the camera.”
“Street photography is unpredictable — and our shooting should reflect that same energy: loose, instinctive, alive.”
“These imperfections and small nuances become a part of your style — a part of your journey.”
“Ultimately, the goal is to make these relationships as quickly and spontaneously as possible.”
“I like to hold my camera in a very particular way so that I can quickly orient myself vertically or horizontally.”
“In street photography, all of it comes down to your instincts — your intuition — especially when it comes down to composition.”
“As you keep going out there and shooting more, you’ll discover where to position your body in relationship to the moment.”
“With street photography, life is out of our control — but how we frame it isn’t.”
“Experimentation keeps you alive — don’t get stuck in one orientation.”
“Keep experimenting, stay fluid, follow your intuition.”