Composition 2 - Aspect Ratio and Orientation

It doesn't matter what sort of camera you use, but following a few simple guidelines can generally improve your photos. In this tip we will talk about "Aspect Ratio and Orientation". Aspect Ratio refers to the proportional relationship between the width and the height of an image. Most consumer cameras use an aspect ratio of 1:1 (square), 1.5:1 (rectangular, also known as 3:2) or 1.33:1 (rectangular, also known as 4:3). There are numerous other aspect ratios, and videos taken using these cameras may use a different aspect ratio again. To check your own camera, take an image and check its size in pixels, then divide the number of pixels wide by the number of pixels high to get the aspect ratio. Orientation refers to the way that the camera is positioned when you capture an image, which can be one of two positions:
When a camera is operated in its normal position, it will typically capture an image in "landscape" format. It is most suitable for images where the subject is wider than it is tall. Landscape might be considered the default format for most digital cameras.
	Rotating the camera 90 degrees (in either direction) will typically capture an image in "portrait" format. This format is most suitable for images where the subject is taller than it is wide, but it doesn't have to be if you want to include some context as well. It may be worth noting that portrait might be considered the default format for most smartphones.
	There are some cameras that capture square images, and these are often used for all kinds of jaunty angles. Most of the time these formats are the result of cropping with image manipulation software.
There is no "correct" format - it really depends on how you want people to perceive the image. In some situations you may be limited by the focal length of your lens and the proximity of the subject, in order to capture the image you desire. And of course, you can always crop the image later if necessary.