The scourge of vertical videos

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I was unsure of where to post this, but determined this deserves to be on the most popular sub forum. I don't think you can find a better example of human laziness. It transcends intelligence. For some reason a huge percentage of the global population is incapable or turning their phone 90 degrees when filming. It boggles my mind. Short of bowling and skeeball competitions there is NEVER a situation where vertical video shooting is the best option. I will die on this hill.

 

[Runs For Fun]

I agree. There are very few instances where vertical video is acceptable. I always record in landscape. I can't stand vertical videos.

 

[Pumbaa]

I would say it depends on how the video is intended to be viewed. If the video is going to be consumed on a phone for example, vertical is no big deal and might even be a really good option. Just pick vertical/horizontal to suit whatever you’re recording and the story you want to tell. Neither horizontal nor vertical is inherently good or bad, the full picture must be considered. That’s my hill to die on.

Vertical video can also be excusable when the options are to either capture everything on vertical video or miss over half of the things happening that you want to record. Like when I visited a robotic lab and due to physical constrains could document a humanoid robot doing impressive stuff either fully (portrait) or partially (landscape). A bit annoying to display the vertical video on a regular screen later, but not having the full body visible would have been way more annoying!

What really sucks is all the vertical videos out there where vertical doesn’t make any sense, where horizontal would have made the scene fit better or where vertical simply does not add anything. People just holding the phone (wrong) and not thinking about it, eww. Maybe the phones should have the option to automatically record in landscape mode, regardless of the phone’s orientation? I have a third-party app that does that.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I would say it depends on how the video is intended to be viewed. If the video is going to be consumed on a phone for example, vertical is no big deal and might even be a really good option. Just pick vertical/horizontal to suit whatever you’re recording and the story you want to tell. Neither horizontal nor vertical is inherently good or bad, the full picture must be considered. That’s my hill to die on.

Vertical video can also be excusable when the options are to either capture everything on vertical video or miss over half of the things happening that you want to record. Like when I visited a robotic lab and due to physical constrains could document a humanoid robot doing impressive stuff either fully (portrait) or partially (landscape). A bit annoying to display the vertical video on a regular screen later, but not having the full body visible would have been way more annoying!

What really sucks is all the vertical videos out there where vertical doesn’t make any sense, where horizontal would have made the scene fit better or where vertical simply does not add anything. People just holding the phone (wrong) and not thinking about it, eww. Maybe the phones should have the option to automatically record in landscape mode, regardless of the phone’s orientation? I have a third-party app that does that.

With all due respect, no! In respect to your robotic lab visit, which we can all relate to, I suggest reflexively turning your phone 90 degrees as you pull it out of its holster and backing the fuck up to capture the footage. It's not as John Wick as is sounds.

As far as sharing it with other people who will probably watch it vertically, it's the same lazy assholes. Literally every other option other than direct send will display it on a format that screams "hey, I'm lazy and have no foresight!"

 

[Pumbaa]

With all due respect, no! In respect to your robotic lab visit, which we can all relate to, I suggest reflexively turning your phone 90 degrees as you pull it out of its holster and backing the fuck up to capture the footage. It's not as John Wick as is sounds.

Not sure what good rotating my phone would have done, the video was recorded using a traditional camera. Backing the fuck up would have been either too expensive for my taste as that would have involved breaking a wall, or too opaque for my taste with filming through the wall and all. Probably didn’t have security clearance for visiting that area anyways.

As far as sharing it with other people who will probably watch it vertically, it's the same lazy assholes. Literally every other option other than direct send will display it on a format that screams "hey, I'm lazy and have no foresight!"

Pffft. That’s like advocating for only ever taking photos in landscape mode. Get with the times, gramps!

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Not sure what good rotating my phone would have done, the video was recorded using a traditional camera. Backing the fuck up would have been either too expensive for my taste as that would have involved breaking a wall, or too opaque for my taste with filming through the wall and all. Probably didn’t have security clearance for visiting that area anyways.


Pffft. That’s like advocating for only ever taking photos in landscape mode. Get with the times, gramps!

Honestly if the second coming of Christ actually happened and I was only able to shoot it in vertical video I just wouldn't share it. I'm sure there were plenty of other hacks who captured it in that format. I'm not special.

Photography is different. Plenty of situations where either landscape or portrait is appropriate. But even aside from that, it comes down to people are just too lazy to even think about it. FACT.

 

[Pumbaa]

Honestly if the second coming of Christ actually happened and I was only able to shoot it in vertical video I just wouldn't share it. I'm sure there were plenty of other hacks who captured it in that format. I'm not special.

Aww, don’t say that, you’re special alright!

Photography is different. Plenty of situations where either landscape or portrait is appropriate. But even aside from that, it comes down to people are just too lazy to even think about it. FACT.

Not really, video is just plenty of photos put together in a sequence. We’re just more used to having individual photographs and similar art come in different sizes and orientations. The options for more varied display of video have just been too limited, making people narrow-minded.

I do however agree that the problem is that people are too fucking lazy to think about it.

Say, how do you feel about square videos?

 

[Hrafn]

Ok, so I don't care one way or the other, although people should be hung by their thumbs if they record video vertically, but do we mean "scirge" which appears to be a sheriff or "scourge" which is a device of punishment or something else I'm not privy to?

 

[Pumbaa]

Ok, so I don't care one way or the other, although people should be hung by their thumbs if they record video vertically, but do we mean "scirge" which appears to be a sheriff or "scourge" which is a device of punishment or something else I'm not privy to?

Attempted policing, so a sheriff would make sense, right?

 

[Thomas Veil]

LOL. Back in the Old Country, correcting someone's spelling could get you a suspension, or at least a warning. Here it's actually--wait for it--allowed.

With regards to video, I'm with Chewy on this one. Do people really think anyone watching that video on YouTube, their computer or TV is going to appreciate very wide pillar boxing taking up (at least) 2/3 of their screen?

We've all seen TV channels where they try to fill that void by placing the video over an enlarged, blurred version of same. And yeah, that's got all the aesthetic charm of a bad chroma-key, or a mic boom shadow following someone all over the set.

Vertical video. Just say no.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Aww, don’t say that, you’re special alright!


Not really, video is just plenty of photos put together in a sequence. We’re just more used to having individual photographs and similar art come in different sizes and orientations. The options for more varied display of video have just been too limited, making people narrow-minded.

I do however agree that the problem is that people are too fucking lazy to think about it.

Say, how do you feel about square videos?

You were coming dangerously close to sounding like a flutist, but then you redeemed yourself in the second part! Square videos. More artistic for sure, but if people are too lazy to turn their phones 90 degrees they sure as fuck aren't going to choose the square option. The only logical conclusion is square videos are the result of fumble thumb.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Ok, so I don't care one way or the other, although people should be hung by their thumbs if they record video vertically, but do we mean "scirge" which appears to be a sheriff or "scourge" which is a device of punishment or something else I'm not privy to?

You probably have a valid point on the title of the thread. Auto spell check gave me no clue and I didn't spend a lot of calories exploring how that didn't look quite right even to me.

However, your complete disinterest in picking a side on this topic is preventing me from editing the title. This subject is just that important and I am just that spiteful.

 

[Hrafn]

You probably have a valid point on the title of the thread. Auto spell check gave me no clue and I didn't spend a lot of calories exploring how that didn't look quite right even to me.

However, your complete disinterest in picking a side on this topic is preventing me from editing the title. This subject is just that important and I am just that spiteful.

Well, now you'll have to or my feelings will be hurt.

And by hurt, I mean like this:
Flight of the Chonchords, Hurt Feelings.

I'm not a rapper.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Ok, so I don't care one way or the other, although people should be hung by their thumbs if they record video vertically, but do we mean "scirge" which appears to be a sheriff or "scourge" which is a device of punishment or something else I'm not privy to?

@Chew Toy McCoy: Just spotted this thread, and have noted @Hrafn's comments re spelling.

You probably have a valid point on the title of the thread. Auto spell check gave me no clue and I didn't spend a lot of calories exploring how that didn't look quite right even to me.

However, your complete disinterest in picking a side on this topic is preventing me from editing the title. This subject is just that important and I am just that spiteful.

Shall I change the spelling in the title, (to "scourge") or would you prefer that I left it alone?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Okay: I have changed it - for now.

If you wish to have it changed back, do, please, let me know.

However, the spelling was the first thing I noticed (with gritted teeth) and I will say that it distracted me from the title (and content) of the thread, and I daresay may well have (had) this effect on others.

 

[Hrafn]

@Chew Toy McCoy: Just spotted this thread, and have noted @Hrafn's comments re spelling.



Shall I change the spelling in the title, (to "scourge") or would you prefer that I left it alone?

I think it should be left alone on princible

 

[Edd]

We've all seen TV channels where they try to fill that void by placing the video over an enlarged, blurred version of same. And yeah, that's got all the aesthetic charm of a bad chroma-key, or a mic boom shadow following someone all over the set.

Vertical video. Just say no.

This x1000. I hate portrait video and annoy my wife every time I see it with my complaining. Some people just don’t see that it sucks I think. That it’s better to turn your phone sideways is not even a discussion.

 

[Pumbaa]

LOL. Back in the Old Country, correcting someone's spelling could get you a suspension, or at least a warning. Here it's actually--wait for it--allowed.

As would openly talking about mod decisions in a thread.

With regards to video, I'm with Chewy on this one. Do people really think anyone watching that video on YouTube, their computer or TV is going to appreciate very wide pillar boxing taking up (at least) 2/3 of their screen?

If those are the intended or expected viewing platforms then vertical video is typically a really bad choice (or rather the result of not giving a frak).

Just got linked a video of an amazingly cute train of echidnas strolling about. Vertical video. For no good reason. Most of the time at least one echidna partially out of frame (or worse) for no good reason as horizontal video from the exact same phone/camera location would have caught everything beautifully. Textbook example of why vertical videos are so hated. That’s a huge problem! Bad vertical videos condition people to hate all vertical videos, letting the rotten bunch spoil a few good apples!

We've all seen TV channels where they try to fill that void by placing the video over an enlarged, blurred version of same. And yeah, that's got all the aesthetic charm of a bad chroma-key, or a mic boom shadow following someone all over the set.

Vertical video. Just say no.

That’s on the TV channel. Their choice to show the unsuitable video, they could‘ve abstained but didn’t.

Sure doesn’t help that the vertical videos are typically of the mentioned echidna variety, where the framing is … inadequate.

I was going to say ”not r/PraiseTheCameraMan material” but then saw this monstrosity crossposted there:

You were coming dangerously close to sounding like a flutist, but then you redeemed yourself in the second part! Square videos. More artistic for sure, but if people are too lazy to turn their phones 90 degrees they sure as fuck aren't going to choose the square option. The only logical conclusion is square videos are the result of fumble thumb.

But what about square videos recorded with the phone in a vertical position?

I’m not going to disagree with square videos mostly getting recorded all fumbly thumbly. Many square videos floating around on the Internet on the other hand were probably not recorded that way, just cropped by an app. Didn’t Instagram use to insist on that?

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Okay: I have changed it - for now.

If you wish to have it changed back, do, please, let me know.

However, the spelling was the first thing I noticed (with gritted teeth) and I will say that it distracted me from the title (and content) of the thread, and I daresay may well have (had) this effect on others.

I appreciate the team work here.

 

[Herdfan]

And then you have my daughter and her frends who seem to take every picture at a 30-60 degree angle. What's up with that?