Looking at Life Horizontally: The Shift from Vertical Photos
By: Maeve Moynihan, Senior Writer Edited by: Lianna Gourmos
Photography is shifting angles—90 degrees to be exact. With the comeback of 2000s fashion and culture, nostalgia has consumed social media users. Landscape-oriented photos have been all the rage lately, taking over Instagram feeds and bringing back a more 2000s vibe. The horizontal angle mimics that of a camera, with the popularity of digital and film cameras reaching an all-time high this past year. The angle also adds layers to basic photos that make them seem almost cinematic. Photo dumps now seem like scenes of each user’s own film, as horizontal photos strike a sense of memory and personalism to basic iPhone photos.
The shift from vertical to horizontal is more than just a photographer’s choice. It's an attempt to mimic that “old school” digital-camera vibe. The trend started around mid 2025, following after the minimalist and clean girl trends died out. The landscapes also feel similar to the “square” posting style Instagram adopted years ago. Just like the shift from square to vertical, the shift from vertical to horizontal doesn’t just represent a change in the new generation’s interests, but a change in society and what it deems "aesthetic" as well. Consumers are always looking for ways to change their brand, and oftentimes it falls on adding a new perspective or “spin”on past trends.
When it comes to posting pictures and videos, trends move through a quick cycle. Photo dumps and digital camera photos, although still widely popular, are already becoming dated. The shift to horizontal iPhone photos is therefore treated as a “counter-trend” to vertical photos, representing not so much a rebellion to posting norms, but simply a change in the trend cycle.
A new feature that Instagram has added to their post settings is the “mixed” photo setting, allowing users to post both vertical and horizontal pictures in the same carousel of photos, whereas before, it limited it to one shape. This feature not only gives users more creativity and freedom with their posts, but represents the shift in picture taking, as Instagram is aware of the push towards horizontal. This mixed photo setting represents how Instagram as a platform keeps up with the changes in trends that users are exercising. Trends can have a loud voice on how feeds and algorithms are formed, helping them spread across a multitude of platforms which then makes them “popular” to a consuming audience.
One of the most popular trends that initially sparked the interest in horizontal photos was the “taking a photo of each other" trend, where two people take a horizontal photo of each other and layer them side by side. It was a fun, creative way of taking photos with friends while not standing next to one another. This piqued interest in landscape-oriented photos that focused more on setting and less on people.
Another popular technique that has made a comeback is the “rule of thirds,” by which an iPhone camera presents a grid to guide the photographer. The subject of the photo is placed where these lines intersect. It makes the photo seem less planned and intentional, when in reality, there is more effort being put into it behind the scenes. Thus, it brings in a sense of fabricated casualness and authenticity, which has been prioritized on social media in the last few years.
The rule of thirds also brings in a professional aspect. A lot of social media users post photos to share their life in a mindless manner. But in other cases, some users post with more intent and consider how they may be perceived online. Horizontal photo-taking somehow illustrates a greater thought process behind curating posts, while also creating an illusion of being present in the moment.
Lauren Maron, a junior at Syracuse University, feels horizontal photos capture everyday moments much better than vertical ones. She likes how she can fit more into a landscape photo, especially when she’s with a big group of people. “I also feel like the pictures look more natural and less posed,” Maron says. “I love looking back at them because you can see everything that was going on in that moment.” As horizontal photos tend to capture people simply living their lives, the small, ordinary details feel real. Thus, the trend in itself promotes iPhone photography as a newfound art.
At the end of the day, it is not just about the picture or the angle. It’s also about the person behind the camera. Instagram's trajectory has changed a lot over the years, but always surrounds user behavior. The platform has become a scrapbook of memories by utilizing channels of connection between people all over the world. Something as simple as a differently-angled photo represents a person’s uniqueness. Looking through an old lens with a new frame, the shift to horizontal represents an older part of users finding a new filter in the present.
© 2026 by FETCH COLLECTIVE
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