Oden Restaurant

I'm taking a poll: do you prefer this composition as a vertical, or to eliminate the top half and a little off the bottom, and make it into a horizontal?

[J A Byrdlip]

I think vertical gives a better context for the story.

[Call me Joe]

No,don’t eliminate the top…I love the sign tho’ can’t read it..it’s so artsy 👍⭐️

[Rick]

Think I like just the bottom section. It's an interesting street shot.

[Mary Siegle]

I don’t think it’s as much a choice of shape—vertical vs horizontal—as it is a choice of whether the people have much of a role in what is communicated by the picture. I like the overall graphic impact the image has just the way it is. But I find it difficult to hold my attention on the people and really see them with the distraction of the top portion. If the people are important, I’d get rid of the top.

[Ian JB]

Vertical has more story to the image. Nice image!!

[Diane]

I think the sign at the top adds context--though IDK what the sign means.

[Issi Bannerman]

I like it as it is.

[Brian]

Awesome image. Vertical please. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[Wylie]

As is I think. Takes more to engage with.

[Merrelyn]

It's interesting, viewed on black I like it as is. Viewed on white the sign seems to overpower the image and the people fade into the background.

[Jane Pittenger]

Ditto Mary

[Junko Y]

@byrdlip @joemuli @rickster549 @mcsiegle @ianjb21 @eudora @jamibann @briaan @pusspup @jgpittenger

Thank you all for your perspectives on my question. The top part of the sign identifies the name of the restaurant "Takeshi" -- although you can only see the first two letters. The middle section identifies the type of food being served, which is "oden" and of course, you see the people inside. I tried the horizontal and you lose all of the signage so square ended up being an option I hadn't asked about. Then I began to wonder, what would have been on the right part of the restaurant because only 2/3 of the name of the restaurant is captured in my vertical. Good news for me is that I'm returning to Japan so many times over the winter I can try to go to this place again and see. Thanks, all, for your thought-provoking responses.