judges' picks, scores and remarks on the first photo challenge

Judge No. 1


3rd pick : Entry 20 - Janeth Nitoral

Quality (Technical) - 30/40
Originality (Theme) - 30/40
Overall Impression - 15/20
TOTAL - 75/100
These ornaments are one of the common symbols of the season and are one of the most photographed subjects in Christmas pictures.
This photo is a balance of technicality and fair adaptation to the theme. A simple play of composition and lighting, it gives off a warm glow and feel to the viewers. Message-wise, this picture says only one thing, "It's Christmas!"

2nd pick : Entry 38 - Paeng Balen

Quality (Technical) - 27/40
Originality (Theme) - 40/40
Overall Impression - 13/20
TOTAL - 80/100
Whatever this photo lacks in technicality, it makes-up with a strong message and adaptation to the contest theme. I don't read the photographer's comments in order to understand the picture. By just looking at the photo, you can read a message loud enough that your thoughts begin to write stories about it. The picture speaks for itself.

1st pick : Entry 22 - Leo Dela Rosa

Quality (Technical) - 35/40
Originality (Theme) - 30/40
Overall Impression - 18/20
TOTAL - 83/100
This photo gives you a potent combination of technical know-how and adaptation to the theme. A skillfully crafted photo, a play of lights, and a touch of Christmas spirit makes this entry my top pick.


Judge No. 2


3rd pick : Entry 16 - Joseph Nocom

Quality (Technical) - 15/40
Originality (Theme) - 40/40
Overall Impression - 20/20
TOTAL - 75/100
I like how he made an effort to make such a scene on the image, I mean it's like one of those image that you will see on local and foreign magazines which REALLY explains its title. I like it because I really appreciate how he had thought of the idea. Creative. Definitely not technical but CLEAR.

2nd pick : Entry 34 - Edmund Chan

Quality (Technical) - 40/40
Originality (Theme) - 20/40
Overall Impression - 20/20
TOTAL - 80/100
Definitely a technical one. Long exposure. I like how he combined technicality and theme. Even though the theme's weight on the image is not too much I'm still glad he was able to deliver it. And i think there are only two techncal shots on the entries.

1st pick : Entry 13 - Lourdes Inosanto

Quality (Technical) - 40/40
Originality (Theme) - 40/40
Overall Impression - 18/20
TOTAL - 98/100
A wow for me. this image can win on different themes, generic if i may say so. But i like the peaceful and warmth feeling of this shot. IT IS VERY SIMPLE but definitely striking. And I am not sure if the photographer herself is aware of that what she made was a technical shot. I like the warm rim light that hugged the skin of the kid. the rim light which gave detail to the shadow of the subject and the perfect exposure on the candle, she captured the perfect shape of the candle, the shot is like serenity and peace,which i think perfectly describes Christmas.


Judge No. 3


3rd pick : Entry 20 - Janeth Nitoral

Quality (Technical) - 30/40
Originality (Theme) - 35/40
Overall Impression - 16/20
TOTAL - 81/100
Her photo is really common but somewhat bluesy .. what sets it apart is the darkness that evokes.. some sort of longing for something..


2nd pick : Entry no. 34 - Edmund Chan

Quality (Technical) - 35/40
Originality (Theme) - 35/40
Overall Impression - 15/20
TOTAL - 85/100
Just for the sheer technicality of the shot and for a Christmas theme, his is a concept of his own and I admire that.

1st pick : Entry 22 - Leo Dela Rosa

Quality (Technical) - 35/40
Originality (Theme) - 35/40
Overall Impression - 20/20
TOTAL - 90/100
His photo is well balanced and technical. Even the colors and the exposure is spot-on.


Judge No. 4


3rd pick: Entry 18 - Wilz Dida

Quality (Technical) - 38/40
Originality (Theme) - 35/40
Overall Impression - 16/20
TOTAL - 89/100
Very nice color and composition, provides plenty of visual interest. Original in the use of the types of ornaments used, although the use of tree ornaments in general not very original. Visually nice but lacking a clear point.

2nd pick: Entry 8 - Nada Stambuk

Quality (Technical) - 37/40
Originality (Theme) - 38/40
Overall Impression - 15/20
TOTAL - 90/100
I enjoyed the composition but thought the colors were somewhat subdued. The birds looking skyward brought in the universality of the season.

1st pick: Entry 38 - Paeng Balen

Quality (Technical) - 37/40
Originality (Theme) - 38/40
Overall Impression - 19/20
TOTAL - 94/100
Nice composition. The combination of the subdued colors of the window sill and thatched roof contrasted with the bright green star add to the message. The child's expression of concern really makes the point, what will her Christmas bring?

Judge No. 5

3rd pick : Entry 8 - Nada Stambuk

Quality (Technical) - 38/40

Originality (Theme) - 37/40

Overall Impression - 14/20

TOTAL - 89/100

Definitely Christmas and the birds giving a subtle and deeper meaning to the piece. The overall look, however, just doesn't create that much impact to move people.

2nd pick : Entry 38 - Paeng Balen

Quality (Technical) - 35/40

Originality (Theme) - 39/40

Overall Impression - 19/20

TOTAL - 93/100

A painful imagery of the uncertainty in the poor child's eye looking for hope at Christmas time - very strong imagery that speaks volumes that people can relate to especially in today's trying times. 

1st pick : Entry 22 - Leo Dela Rosa

Quality (Technical) - 40/40

Originality (Theme) - 35/40

Overall Impression - 20/20

TOTAL - 95/100

Although not as deep in interpreting the photo-challenge theme - this is Christmas with an exclamation point! Very few technically well-crafted photos are as equally visually appealing - this is a combination of both!

dp+ pick judges (not exactly in their respective order):

Gina Villanueva Uyan

Benjax Rivera

Omar Jordan de Guzman

Juanito Vinluan

Matthew Matchinsky

top 8 dp+ Picks in the first photo challenge

There were 5 judges who scored for the dp+ pick. Each one picked their top 3 choices and scored them according to dp+ pick criteria. Here is the result of the total scoring from judges. The one with the highest score wins!

# 1 - Entry no. 22 - Leo de la Rosa - 268

# 2 - Entry no. 38 - Paeng Balen - 267

# 3 - Entry no. 8 - Nada Stambuk - 179

# 4 - Entry no. 34 - Edmund Chan - 165

# 5 - Entry no. 20 - Janeth Nitoral - 156

# 6 - Entry no. 13 - Lourdes Inosanto - 98

# 7 - Entry no. 18 - Wilz Dida - 89

# 8 - Entry no. 16 - Joseph Nocom - 75

If all judges will vote for one singular entry with a perfect score - total score would be 500.

dp+ photo challenge no. 1 judges:

Members:

Benjax Rivera

Omar de Guzman

Matthew Matchinsky

Administrators:

Gina Villanueva Uyan

Juanito Vinluan

top 8 Popular Votes Pick in the first photo challenge

# 1 - Entry no. 38 - Paeng Balen - 62 votes 

# 2 - Entry no. 13 - Lourdes Inosanto - 37 votes

# 3 - Entry no. 34 - Edmund Chan - 20 votes

# 4 - With 17 votes each: Betty Jo Jones, Karen Eaquinta Sharkey and Pritam De

# 5 - With 15 votes each: Nada Stambuk and Jonathan Park

# 6 - With 14 votes - Lily Vinluan

# 7 - With 13 votes each: Lara Juan, Randy Villanueva, Joseph Nocon, Janeth Nitoral, Lennox Tpx and Zandro Cenizal

# 8 - With 12 votes each: Leo de la Rosa, Joanna Lyn Ong, Bong Castillo, Edison Cerilla, Jeffrey Callos and Spinal Man

photo challenge 2 deadlines

photo by Edison Cerilla - 6th Place - Popular Votes Pick - dp+ photo challenge 2

second dp+ photo challenge - brief information

- dp+ photo challenge no. 2 theme: NEW YEAR
- posting of entries: from January 2 - January 11, 2012
- voting or liking of votes: from January 2 - January 14, 2012
- dp+ pick judging : January 15, 2012






















Links:

Full mechanics to 2nd dp+ photo challenge: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6395130266045634359#editor/target=post;postID=3236465254881718612

first ever dp+ Popular Votes Pick winner

dp+ 1st photo challenge winner by Popular Votes Pick
photographer: Paeng Balen
title: Waiting for Christmas
theme: Christmas is...
camera: Canon 1000D

dp+ Pick judging criteria on photo challenge 1

Apart from gauging dp+ members’ response to dp+ photo challenge entries through Likes, there will also be a dp+ pick. It will be judged by selected group member judges and dp+ admin.

photo by Nada Stambuk - 3rd Place - dp+ Pick dp+ photo challenge 1 -
Christmas theme

The following are dp+ pick criteria for judging:

1. Quality – 40%
- the technical consideration of an entry
- if technical specs on the mechanics of dp+ challenge are met

2. Originality – 40%
- how uniquely interpreted is the theme
- an entry’s substance and relevance
- how aptly and creatively the message imparted was translated visually
- overall creative approach
- if overall elements shows the spirit embodied in the theme
- to consider submission date of entries on similar concepts

3. Overall impression – 20%
- the overall impact of the photo
- general appeal
- how well it was appreciated by members of the group

photo by Wilz Dida - 7th Place dp+ Pick - dp+ photo challenge 2

How to score

A score of 40% for Quality if the photo meets the technical standard 100%
A score of 40% for Originality if it is 100% in this criteria
A score of 20% for Overall impression as perfect score in this criteria
Total perfect score would be 100% after all scores on the different criteria are added.

How entries will be judged

After all member Likes are voted on the entries, judges will then each pick top 3 choices and score them according to dp+ criteria. A short explanation on why they like a particular piece will be included. dp+ main admin will tabulate the result and post it to dp+ site. There will be 3 to more odd number of judges to vote on the dp+ pick to tie-break.

Why there is a dp+ pick

It is basically to gauge the level of appreciation of members and as an added incentive or consolation award for the photo challenge. dp+ pick may or may not be the Winner in terms of Likes or member votes.

Awarding of winning pieces

The winner with the most Likes or votes emerges as the overall winner. It gets to be the profile picture of dp+ for a period until such time when another dp+ challenge is won. It gets to be the official calendar photo for a particular month of dp+ Best of the Best calendar. It will be posted on affiliate sites as dp+ photo challenge winner and will also be included in the photo gallery of dp+ photo challenge winners.

dp+ pick is a Special Award. It will placed in one album and included in dp+ calendar as dp+ photo challenge pick and will also be posted on dp+ affiliate sites as such.

it's dp+ 5th month anniversary

photo by Edmund Chan of Edmund Chan - HDR department head for Digital Photography Plus

It's our 5th month anniversary on December 17, 2011 and here are our milestones as a group:

1. dp+ group site members- 593 members

2. Number of Likes on dp+ official Facebook site - 487 Likes

3. dp+ blogsite members - 99 members

4. Photo gallery administrator - Juanito Vinluan

5. New photo gallery for HDR department headed by Edmund Chan

To all those who have been part of the group from its conception on July 17, 2011, thank you very much for all your support, the administrators of dp+ are so grateful. To all those who have recently become members, hope you bear with us and remain active participants of the group, you are very much welcome. Here's to more monthsaries to come, cheers everyone!

dp+' first ever photo challenge "Christmas is..." - full mechanics

photo by Gina Villanueva Uyan

a. who may join
The contest is open to all Digital Photography Plus MEMBERS casual, amateur, hobbyist, enthusiast or professional.

b. number of entry per member
A practice in selecting your best work, only one (1) entry per member will be accepted.

c. how to submit your work
To be identified as an entry, all entries must be posted to Digital Photography Plus official page wall
(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Digital-Photography-PLUS/242285489128553) together with the following:
a) your best shot as an entry
b) indicate photo challenge number and theme, example for the first dp+ photo challenge, please include this with your entry: 
dp+ photo challenge no. 1 - "Christmas is..."
c) photo title
d) member name
e) camera used in taking the photo

d. how it works:
1. All entries should be submitted to dp+ official page wall (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Digital-Photography-PLUS/242285489128553). 
Submission starts on December 17 and ends in 
December 26, 2011, 12 midnight Philippine standard time.
2. Upon submission, photos will be put together in a single photo gallery or album in the group site 
(http://www.facebook.com/groups/164854913587122/?ap=1) within the day after it was submitted under the album title:
dp+ photo challenge no. 1 official entries. It is where all members will click Like to signify their vote/s.
3. Winning photos will be judged according to the number of Likes they received.
4. Liking starts as soon as an entry is posted to the official entries album.
5. ONLY members of dp+ can vote or Like an entry.
6. Members can like as many entries as they want including their own entries.
7. Deadline for liking photos will be on December 27, 2011, 12midnight Philippine standard time.
8. Entry with the most number of Likes wins.
9. Members are encouraged to vote or Like their preference according to their level of appreciation not of the photographer but of their work.

d. entry photo specifications:
1. All entries must be in digital format. It can be taken using a mobile, analog, manual or digital camera. Digital submission must be higher than 1Mb, must be in JPEG or JPG format, with a resolution of 300dpi.
2. Photos which have previously won in any photography contest worldwide is NOT acceptable.
3. Since this is a photography challenge all major photo manipulation is not acceptable like effects created through Photoshop or any other editing software. 
4. Minor editing, like cropping, color enhancement, color balance and correction, focus adjustment is acceptable. The object is to retain the integrity of the actual photo taken.
5. Entries must be taken within 3 to 4 years prior to the date of submission.
6. It must not contain any watermark or any identifiable signature.
7. Photo submissions must be entered by the actual member who took the photo. 
8. dp+ assumes that all entries are original photos of the entrants. It does not accept entries that violate any right to privacy or publicity, moral right or other people's intellectual property rights. Entries should be free of any copyright or trademark infringement.
9. dp+ reserves the right to disqualify an entry with inappropriate content or are defamatory, abusive, objectionable, obscene or sexually explicit in nature.

e. photo challenge theme
Entries to the first ever dp+ photo challenge submitted should revolve around this theme:
"Christmas is..." Photos not in keeping with the theme will be disqualified.

f. what you will get out of this photo challenge
Like what we said in the initial announcement, this photo challenge is not a prize-based competition just a fun activity for the group, an exhibition of prowess in a level playing field for the shooting stars and a challenge or goal to be reached for newbies and amateurs. What dp+ can offer INITIALLY is for the winning entry to be dp+ profile photo of the month or until such time when another winning entry is won. Another thing you will get from the competition is exposure. Winning entry will be featured in dp+ site (http://dpplus.blogspot.com/) and posted on other groups dp+ is affiliated with. There may or may not be additional prizes at stake but for now, this is all the group can offer.

g. dp+ right reserve
This competition will be in preparation to dp+ prospective year-long project for 2012, a photo calendar entitled dp+ best of the best. dp+ reserves the right to publish and include winning photo challenge photos to this print or digital publication project or for any of its promotion and marketing purposes with full credit to the photographer.
dp+ also reserves the right to award dp+ pick as it deem fit which will also be featured in dp+ site (http://dpplus.blogspot.com/).

For questions, suggestions, comments or additional prizes ;-) please send your pms (personal messages) to any of dp+ administrators. May the best of the best win!

An invitation to the first ever dp+ photo contest

photo by Glenmark de Guzman of Glenmark de Guzman for Digital Photography plus

Due to insistent members' demands, Digital Photography Plus will now be having its first ever photo contest. It is the group's way for members to interact, hone their craft more and show photography skills and creativity in a level playing field. It is not a prize-based competition, just a fun group activity that would not just challenge your skill and creativity as a photographer but would also show how your works will be appreciated or received by fellow members of the group. It also aims to gauge the level of appreciation of each of the members as they vote on their preference. All members are welcome, professional or otherwise. As a professional you can show the kind of stuff you are made of as a photographer, don't let amateurs intimidate you, hahaha... and as an amateur, it is your chance to see how you would fare with the shooting stars. And what better way to show what sets you apart as a photographer than having only just one theme to explore and being able to shine in your most creative best.

This is an invitation to all members to join dp+ first ever photo contest. Let your images speak for you as a photographer and let that photographic voice be heard!

Note: Full details of the mechanics of the photo contest will be posted as soon as it gets finalized.

dp+ is 4 months old now!

photo by Juanito Vinluan of Juanito Vinluan for Digital Photography Plus

November 17, 2011 is Digital Photography Plus' 4th month anniversary since it started as a Facebook group on July 17, 2011.













Here are dp+ group milestones at 4 months old:

1. dp+ group site members:

2nd monthsary - 261 members
3rd monthsary - 352 members
4th monthsary - 521 members

With special thanks to Dave Laroche for adding more than a hundred members on the exact 4th anniversary date of the group!

2. Number of Likes on dp+ official Facebook site:

2nd monthsary - 257 Likes
3rd monthsary - 361 Likes
4th monthsary - 414 Likes

3. dp+ blogsite members

2nd monthsary - 53 members
3rd monthsary - 72 members
4th monthsary - 87 members

4. Photo gallery administrator:

2nd monthsary - Hieronymous Raven Rosales
3rd monthsary to 4th monthsary - Juanito Vinluan

5. the creation of new HDR department headed by Edmund Chan

To all members, thank you very much for your support. Here's to making more good pictures happen and being able to show it to the world. Thanks for bearing with the group, happy 4th monthsary to all. Cheers!

of visuals and haptics - what kind of creative are you as a photographer?

photo by Borj Meneses for Digital Photography Plus

How you present your photographs shows what kind of creative you are as a photographer. What kind of creative are you? Haptic or visual?

Have you ever wonder how some photographers reached a particular style that individually represent them - or why people viewing specific photos react more or appreciate certain pictures more than they would other photographs?

Ever think why some photographers present their subjects totally different from what they are in reality - how some banal objects are distorted to form an ambiguous image quite unlike what they really are?

photo by Nanette Villanueva for Digital Photography Plus

And then there are others who choose to present their view of the world for what it really is. They either document, enhance, or even emphasize, but not totally veering away from how the image is supposed to be.

Which is the right or wrong way in presenting your image as a photographer? Is there a proper or an improper way or even a much better way of viewing or appreciating photos?

How a photographer choose to present their vision of the world has a lot to do with the mental processes they underwent in arriving at the final image. It has got something to do with what creative type a photographer as an artist is.

So what kind of creative photographer are you?

There are 2 kinds.

photo by Christopher de Venecia for Digital Photography Plus

One is a visual photographer. They use their camera to document the world as it is. A camera becomes a recording device and a lot of importance is given to the subject. Documentaries and photo-journalistic works are typical example of a visual photographer. Their photographs make us react more strongly to actual events or images. It enables us to view things and places that we’ve never experienced or seen before. If you as a photographer give an objective view of the world reflecting the images within it as it is, or if you as a viewer appreciate this kind of photos or images, you are a visual creative.

photo by Nanette Villanueva for Digital Photography Plus

Another creative kind gears to a more expressionistic, intuitive way of presenting their images. They do not just capture images they incorporate their most individualistic way of personal expression. Colors are determined by their own emotional or personal symbolism. They break from tradition, as they present the essential nature rather than the physical nature of their subjects. Images are distorted or abstracted, moved or rearranged to liberate their inner vision actively imparting part of themselves to their photos. These types are called haptic photographers. A viewer appreciating this kind of photos more can be haptic creatives.

There is no right or wrong or much better way of appreciating or viewing or expressing things in photographs. It is just the way people are, showing how they are creatively wired. No matter what type of creative you are, it is in your own disposition as a photographer to make your own image work. The possibilities are endless. Do not let someone else dictate or set the limits to what you ought to present or achieve in your images just to be appreciated. Do not compete with others in their own turfs, create your own niche, and don’t be influenced by fads. The important thing is you enjoy the process of making photographs to continue doing so. In the end this will allow your creative capabilities to shine forward and be recognized.

on dp+ as a "company" notification - please disregard

facebook logo

The new Facebook set-up allows you to create Lists where you can subdivide friends and put a label according to level of relationship. There are major relationships that require approval from the party you included on your list like Family, Company and School and there are also regular lists, a sort of classification list for the personal use of the one owning the account like close friends, acquaintance, restricted and your own sorting labels.

Digital Photography Plus logo

One of our dp+ members listed herself as an employee of Digital Photography Plus. dp+ administrators didn't mind it at first because we thought it was just a way for that member to organize her stuff so we let things be. When Facebook presented the advantage of making a List in its new set-up, dp+ admin thought of creating one for digital photography plus. Upon encoding the name, it was disallowed because the name was already being used in the list.

So one of the administrators just added the names of the members of the group to that list only to find out that this is a mistake since the list registers as a company making the members its employee. dp+ apologize for this error. dp+ is a group/organization, it is not a company or a business entity. If any of the members received a notification to this effect, please disregard message. Thank you all for your understanding.

dp+ 2nd monthsary

September 17, 2011,  Digital Photography PLUS Facebook group just got 2 months old since July 17, 2011. Happy monthsary everyone!

dp+ group milestones at 2:

1. dp+ group site already has 261 members

2. 257 Likes on our official fb page

3. 53 members on dp+ blogsite.

3. the addition of a photo gallery administrator for dp+ official page - Hieronymus Rosales

photo by Hieronymus Rosales of Hieronymus Rosales
for Digital Photography Plus

To all members, thank you very much for all your support! Please also be reminded that every member can suggest people to the group. Here's to more members and unleashing creative photography genius in each one. Cheers to all!

new dp+ photo gallery administrator

photo by Hieronymus Rosales for Digital Photography Plus

Digital Photography Plus is proud to announce that Hieronymus Rosales aka Wong Raven Rosales is now the administrator of Digital Photography Plus photo gallery. He will be the one in charge of scheduling and creating a photo gallery for each member of the group. 


Welcome to the dp+ family, Hieronymus!

dp+ photo galleries

dp+ photo galleries are photo albums created for dp+ members on our official page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Digital-Photography-PLUS/242285489128553) and this site. It is a means of showcasing a particular members representative works sorted in an album or in a page for easy viewing of a particular photographer's work.

A photo gallery is created for members who are:

1. connected to dp+ official page. It means that they followed this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Digital-Photography-PLUS/242285489128553 and clicked the Like button

2. approved members of Digital Photography Plus group on this link: http://www.facebook.com/groups/164854913587122/?ap=1

3. registered members of dp+ blogsite with this link: ttp://dpplus.blogspot.com/

4. Connected members should also have at least 5 contributed photos to the group.


It is on a first photo posted, first to be exhibited on a photo gallery basis. A photo gallery administrators will post the works of members in an album to showcase their uniqueness and abilities to create a powerful body of works.


Thank you all for your marvelous contributions!

definition of a professional photographer

photo by Lourdes Inosanto of Lourdes Inosanto for Digital Photography Plus

By definition, what is a professional photographer? Are there parameters that delineates a pro from say an enthusiast or an amateur photographer? Are there certain rudimentary skills that you need to possess before you get considered as one.


Here's a little bit of trivia. Hope there aren't any violent reactions, hahaha.. just a thought provoking piece to talk about - so what is a professional photographer by definition?


Simple - it is someone who is a photographer by profession. It means he or she earns a living through photography. So if you take photos as a hobby, no matter how good you are, you remain an enthusiast. Those, on the other hand, who take pictures in the park no matter how amateurish can be considered a professional photographer. Happy shooting! :)

digital camera's full frame and non-full frame proportion

This is a must to know if you are a photographer who plans to shoot for magazines using a digital camera (an editorial photographer), or if you are a magazine art or photo director, or a magazine editor - what the full frame and non-full frame digital camera proportions are in connection with your magazine size. This is especially important if you are one of those photographers who prefer to be in control of how much your photos should be cropped. For editors, art and photo directors you need to know in advance whether or not a photographer's camera is full frame or not, to calculate the space for your masthead for cover photos so that you will know how much of the photo you can tightly crop without sacrificing the photo composition.

Here are the proportions:

photo by Edmund Chan
Canon 5D mk2 - full frame

photo by Warlen Hipulan Rodriguez

Canon 1100D

The size of a full frame digital camera is 3 inches longer in length in proportion to the usual magazine size of 8 1/2 X 11 inches. So if you are using a full-frame camera and you are shooting for the cover of an 8 1/2 X 11" sized magazine, aside from the provisional space you will allot for the masthead, you should allow space for the cropping of additional 3 more inches on its length.

But if you are shooting for National Geographic, no need to make provision for a 3-inch space for cropping. National Geographic takes the actual proportion of full frame cameras, all you need to allot space for is the masthead.

Non-full frame cameras, on the other hand, are the exact proportion of an 8 1/2 X 11 inches magazine. Here you can control the cropping of your photos and preserve the dignity of your composition.

These same proportions are in effect when you have your photos printed in a vertical orientation, too. In the pre-digital days when people use mostly film cameras, notice that when you enlarge a photo to fill the usual 8 1/2 X 11-inch photo paper, some of the areas are automatically cropped either on top or at the bottom in a vertical orientation just like a full frame digital camera. This is because full frame cameras adopted the proportion of a film camera. So if we want to preserve the cropping of our photos when we have it printed the best thing to do is print it with either a white or black border. Notice that after the photos were printed with border, the left and right-side borders of the prints are thicker than the borders on its top and bottom side in a vertical orientation, clearly demonstrating  the difference in proportion.