How Do You Shoot Verticals? at DVinfo.net

Dennis Vogel · January 8th, 2014, 11:26 AM

This is something I've wondered about for a while but never saw discussed anywhere. When you shoot a vertical shot (portrait mode) how do you hold your camera, left hand on top or right hand on top? Does handedness matter? Or anything else?

My wife and I are both right handed. I shoot with my right hand on top cradling the camera in my left hand. She does the opposite.

I'd love to hear how the shooters here do it and and theories as to why people do it differently.

D

Jo Ouwejan · January 8th, 2014, 12:12 PM

I fail to see the benifit of shooting that way. Note, that all televisions are landscape, so when you use a vertical shot in a project, you will have black bars on both sides.
Furthermore, when you shoot that way, you may be diagnosed to suffer from the infamous "Vertical Video Syndrome". :-)

Noa Put · January 8th, 2014, 12:19 PM

I think Dennis is referring to taking stills.

Dennis Vogel · January 9th, 2014, 03:40 PM

Indeed, I'm talking about stills.

D

John C. Chu · January 9th, 2014, 04:44 PM

Do they have aftermarket battery grips for these camera with an extra shutter button? The extra weight of the battery grip plus the vertical shutter button is really comfortable on my Canon T2i for shooting portrait orientation without twisting your wrist. And the aftermarket grip didn't cost that much at all.

Les Wilson · January 10th, 2014, 05:40 AM

In the rare case I shoot vertically (like years ago), I shot with hand on top.

It's off topic but in this day and age, why bother shooting vertical when you can shoot it landscape for use in video and crop the few you want to print portrait? It strikes me as an artifact of history from the days of film and prints. Does the extra little vertical resolution in a portrait shot really matter? Going the other way of cropping a portrait into a landscape loses a ton of resolution and content/perspective.

Noa Put · January 10th, 2014, 07:39 AM

If your intended use is for video I'd agree that shooting vertically has no benefits but during the past years filming weddings I have seen many photogs often shooting vertically with their hand on top.

Rainer Listing · January 10th, 2014, 05:03 PM

Yes, hand on top, but Denis was asking which hand. And I think it's usually left, for one reason, feels more natural to rotate clockwise.

Les Wilson · January 11th, 2014, 06:01 AM

Maybe things are different in Oz but up here, the shutter is on the right side. Left hand is used to spin the rings and support. So ... right hand on top.

Nigel Barker · January 11th, 2014, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Les Wilson

Maybe things are different in Oz but up here, the shutter is on the right side. Left hand is used to spin the rings and support. So ... right hand on top.

Absolutely!

Rainer Listing · January 11th, 2014, 04:17 PM

I think we have an answer: whichever feels more comfortable.

Dennis Vogel · January 14th, 2014, 04:59 PM

Well, obviously people are going to do what's more comfortable. I'm just interested in which way is more comfortable.

Also, does handedness matter? So far I don't think anyone has mentioned whether they are right or left handed. I'd like to see if there is any correlation between handedness and which hand is on top.

Heri Rakotomalala · January 15th, 2014, 10:05 AM

Hi

When taking vertical photographs, having a battery grip helps a lot. I have one with my Gh3 and it has an additional shutter button so you can just shoot the way you do it horizontally. Much more comfortable for portraits than having your arm all the way around the camera

January 8th, 2014, 11:26 AM	#1
Dennis Vogel Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hillsborough, NC Posts: 409	How Do You Shoot Verticals? This is something I've wondered about for a while but never saw discussed anywhere. When you shoot a vertical shot (portrait mode) how do you hold your camera, left hand on top or right hand on top? Does handedness matter? Or anything else? My wife and I are both right handed. I shoot with my right hand on top cradling the camera in my left hand. She does the opposite. I'd love to hear how the shooters here do it and and theories as to why people do it differently. D

January 8th, 2014, 12:12 PM	#2
Jo Ouwejan Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Veenendaal, Holland Posts: 225	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? I fail to see the benifit of shooting that way. Note, that all televisions are landscape, so when you use a vertical shot in a project, you will have black bars on both sides. Furthermore, when you shoot that way, you may be diagnosed to suffer from the infamous "Vertical Video Syndrome". :-)

January 8th, 2014, 12:19 PM	#3
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? I think Dennis is referring to taking stills.

January 9th, 2014, 03:40 PM	#4
Dennis Vogel Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hillsborough, NC Posts: 409	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? Indeed, I'm talking about stills. D

January 9th, 2014, 04:44 PM	#5
John C. Chu Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Rego Park , NYC Posts: 665	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? Do they have aftermarket battery grips for these camera with an extra shutter button? The extra weight of the battery grip plus the vertical shutter button is really comfortable on my Canon T2i for shooting portrait orientation without twisting your wrist. And the aftermarket grip didn't cost that much at all. Last edited by John C. Chu; January 10th, 2014 at 10:17 AM. Reason: Butting back in.

January 10th, 2014, 05:40 AM	#6
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? In the rare case I shoot vertically (like years ago), I shot with hand on top. It's off topic but in this day and age, why bother shooting vertical when you can shoot it landscape for use in video and crop the few you want to print portrait? It strikes me as an artifact of history from the days of film and prints. Does the extra little vertical resolution in a portrait shot really matter? Going the other way of cropping a portrait into a landscape loses a ton of resolution and content/perspective. Last edited by Les Wilson; January 10th, 2014 at 11:44 AM.

January 10th, 2014, 07:39 AM	#7
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? If your intended use is for video I'd agree that shooting vertically has no benefits but during the past years filming weddings I have seen many photogs often shooting vertically with their hand on top.

January 10th, 2014, 05:03 PM	#8
Rainer Listing Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nowra, Australia Posts: 440	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? Yes, hand on top, but Denis was asking which hand. And I think it's usually left, for one reason, feels more natural to rotate clockwise.

January 11th, 2014, 06:01 AM	#9
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? Maybe things are different in Oz but up here, the shutter is on the right side. Left hand is used to spin the rings and support. So ... right hand on top.

January 11th, 2014, 04:17 PM	#11
Rainer Listing Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nowra, Australia Posts: 440	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? I think we have an answer: whichever feels more comfortable.

January 14th, 2014, 04:59 PM	#12
Dennis Vogel Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hillsborough, NC Posts: 409	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? Well, obviously people are going to do what's more comfortable. I'm just interested in which way is more comfortable. Also, does handedness matter? So far I don't think anyone has mentioned whether they are right or left handed. I'd like to see if there is any correlation between handedness and which hand is on top.

January 15th, 2014, 10:05 AM	#13
Heri Rakotomalala Tourist Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 4	Re: How Do You Shoot Verticals? Hi When taking vertical photographs, having a battery grip helps a lot. I have one with my Gh3 and it has an additional shutter button so you can just shoot the way you do it horizontally. Much more comfortable for portraits than having your arm all the way around the camera