Thanks for sharing with us! @AdamGT
My preference is always landscape also for still images… however, when taking a video with my phone it’s mostly portrait as most viewers use mobile devices too especially for google maps.
Also take portraits only when it’s a tall building and some details might be missing out when in landscape.
@AdamGT I like to shoot in square… it’s neither portrait nor landscape. 
And to solve your problem of really tall buildings… you just need to get a camera with an ultra-ultrawide lens but then you’ll need to contend with the image distortions although iOS cameras seem to be able to minimise the distortion the best (in my humble observations).
@MortenCopenhagen I am also mortified that you’re taking photos of storefronts at an angle! I had to set my cup of tea down gently for fear that my trembling hands would have spilled its contents all over my computer 
And interestingly, I tend to follow the rules of thirds which would not work well with Google’s auto thumbnails algorithms. That said, one would think that their AI capabilities are mature enough to access what the main subject is and crop around it for the thumbnail. We really need the Crowdsource folks to work doubly hard to get their vision AI to work better 
Note: My dry humour is in a very parched state today. 
I agree with @Rednewt74 . The orientation depends on the subject. For many, landscape mode will be fine, but some do need portrait framing.
As usual, thought provoking and incisive content from you @AdamGT . Superb quality photos too,the images are replicas of being there, despite the poor light conditions !
You will recall my previous equally stimulating discussion as it relates to videos "Google Maps Videos: Vertical, Horizontal or Both? I believe many of my observations and opinions received equally back up your statements here too. Both formats should be used depending on the subject matter context. I fully agree with the main strand of opinions especially so eloquently expressed by @Rednewt74 @TerryPG @PrasadVR @MattGatlin @Mo_TravelleerX @abermans @MortenCopenhagen @Mikeinthefalls .
We are very much alike then @TerryPG , as I mentioned my preference is 16:9 landscape orientation and, notwithstanding Google’s stated preference for portrait vids, I also prefer landscape for video. However, as many of us have said, because of the subject or the situ that we are in when taking out photos, we sometimes need to shoot in portrait. Nonetheless, it is apparent from the responses, the majority of us like to shoot in landscape.
Terry you mentioned that the few churches and a couple of large office complexes you have posted are in portrait. Just out of interest, would you zoom with your camera or with your feet to fit those taller subjects in your landscape view?
@MarkAuchincloss I missed your earlier "Google Maps Videos: Vertical, Horizontal or Both? post, but I’m glad you mentioned it here again, prompted me to take a look. It is very informative and helpful. Thank you.
Hi @tony_b
It’s interesting how you said that while you’re not a photographer and I have to admit, other than being a hobbyist, nor am I, you started off shooting in landscape based on “the direction” given here on Connect or the Top 100 leaderboards. I can relate to this because …
When it comes to photos on Connect posts, landscape orientation fits and looks best and it was clearly the requirement as stated in posts like Uploading a photo on Connect? Read these guidelines first - “Landscape or horizontal layout (more wide than tall) will generally look better than portrait or vertical layout (more tall than wide).”
Of course when it comes to video, more recently in the replies in the Ask a Googler: Masa post, it was mentioned that “Vertical (portrait) videos are preferred since a majority of Maps users are on mobile devices. We can handle horizontal (landscape) videos as well, but vertical videos look larger and are more immersive.”
Thank you for liking my two photos Anthony.
Your preferences seem to fit in with the majority of us @PrasadVR but you sound ambivalent when you say you " usually prefer either portrait or landscape based on the subject". Do you have a preference of one over the other? For example, would you zoom wither with the camera or with your feet to fit a taller subject in your landscape view?
I’m really pleased that you also like both my photos 
Hello @IzzyOz ,
I see that you agree with @PrasadVR and let the subject matter dictate the orientation of your photography but do you have a preference of one over the other? For example, would you zoom wither with the camera or with your feet to fit a taller subject in your landscape view?
You are very much like @TerryPG and myself @MattGatlin with an obvious strong preference for landscape over portrait for both photos and videos with the qualification that sometimes, as in your beautiful St. Stephen’s Cathedral shot, the subject dictates a portrait orientation. I love how in the shot you show depth and evoke the feeling of how large the Cathedral is.
I can see that you also are like the majority in terms of your preference for landscape over portrait photography @Mo_TravelleerX but let the subject dictate the final choice. Thank you for loving the Park Hyatt landscape shot.
Hello @abermans ,
It’s interesting how you said that in your “early” days you used portrait all the time, then swapped to landscape, and now flip back and forth between landscape and portrait with more and more preference to portraits. You are what we call a swinging voter LOL.
Thank you for your opening comment about the Cathedral shot @Mikeinthefalls however, on checking, as I write, the Cathedral shot has 288 views and the Park Hyatt has 629 views. Of course this doesn’t suggest that one photo is better than the other. It merely indicates that more people are searching for the Hotel than the Cathedral lol.
However, I see that you are in with the majority of us and have a clear preference for landscape and I totally agree with you, landscape just feels more natural and attractive to the eye…but as clearly shown in your two Cascade Falls photos, there are objects that just can’t be photographed as well in landscape mode.
Thanks for jumping in and commenting @saurav2006complex . Regarding your comment about the Cathedral, I did actually take many different shots including landscape but in the end decided that it had to be the portrait shot.
Hello @Nuhuu and it’s really great to see you chime in on this discussion. You too are clearly in with the majority of us and have a preference for landscape but take portraits in the case of taller subjects. Out of interest, would you zoom with your camera or with your feet to fit a taller subject in your landscape view?
Now that’s really interesting @AdrianLunsong how unlike the majority you say that you like shooting square. When you say square do you mean 4:3 as mentioned here by @Rednewt74 ?
I hear you @YuliiaZa but I’m interested to know if in the case of a tall subject like my St Patrick’s Cathedral, would you zoom with your camera or with your feet to fit it in your landscape view?
Thanks for your opening comment @MarkAuchincloss , I’m truly flattered.
I certainly do recall your Google Maps Videos: Vertical, Horizontal or Both? post which opened up great discussion on this topic and I encourage everyone that hasn’t already done so to go read your excellent post now. You will recall that even in your post I stated my preference for landscape.
@AdamGT I’d like to clarify my preference, I always opt for portrait mode when capturing tall structures, and I choose landscape mode for storefronts and gardens. I avoid using zoom to fit a taller subject into my landscape view.
Thanks for clarifying your preference @PrasadVR , it’s now very clear.