diff --git a/attached_assets/image_1772312049653.png b/attached_assets/image_1772312049653.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e16567
Binary files /dev/null and b/attached_assets/image_1772312049653.png differ
diff --git a/client/src/pages/home.tsx b/client/src/pages/home.tsx
index e4bd7e0..4aee36c 100644
--- a/client/src/pages/home.tsx
+++ b/client/src/pages/home.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,35 @@ import { PhotoGalleryWidget } from "@/components/photo-gallery";
 import { HoroscopeWidget } from "@/components/horoscope-widget";
 import { RecipeWidget } from "@/components/recipe-widget";
 import { NewsWidget } from "@/components/news-widget";
-import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from "react";
+import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from "react";
+
+function SmartImage({ src, alt, className = "" }: { src: string; alt: string; className?: string }) {
+  const imgRef = useRef<HTMLImageElement>(null);
+  const [isPortrait, setIsPortrait] = useState(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const img = new Image();
+    img.onload = () => {
+      if (img.naturalHeight > img.naturalWidth * 1.2) {
+        setIsPortrait(true);
+      }
+    };
+    img.src = src;
+  }, [src]);
+
+  if (isPortrait) {
+    return (
+      <div className="absolute inset-0 overflow-hidden">
+        <img src={src} alt="" className="absolute inset-0 w-full h-full object-cover scale-150 blur-2xl brightness-50" aria-hidden="true" />
+        <img ref={imgRef} src={src} alt={alt} className={`relative w-full h-full object-contain z-[1] ${className}`} />
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <img ref={imgRef} src={src} alt={alt} className={`w-full h-full object-cover absolute inset-0 ${className}`} style={{ objectPosition: "center 40%" }} />
+  );
+}
 
 interface GalleryImage {
   folder: string;
@@ -43,8 +71,8 @@ function HeroCard({ article }: { article: Article }) {
   return (
     <Link href={`/article/${article.slug}`}>
       <div className="relative group cursor-pointer rounded-lg overflow-hidden h-full" data-testid={`card-hero-${article.id}`}>
-        <div className="relative h-full min-h-[300px]">
-          <img src={article.coverImage || "/images/article-1.png"} alt={article.title} className="w-full h-full object-cover absolute inset-0 transition-transform duration-700 group-hover:scale-105 object-center" loading="lazy" />
+        <div className="relative h-full min-h-[280px]">
+          <SmartImage src={article.coverImage || "/images/article-1.png"} alt={article.title} className="transition-transform duration-700 group-hover:scale-105" />
           {isVideo && (
             <div className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center z-10">
               <div className="w-14 h-14 rounded-full bg-primary/90 flex items-center justify-center group-hover:bg-primary transition-colors shadow-lg">
@@ -79,7 +107,7 @@ function GalleryHeroCard({ images }: { images: GalleryImage[] }) {
     <Link href="/gallery">
       <div className="relative group cursor-pointer rounded-lg overflow-hidden h-full" data-testid="card-hero-gallery">
         <div className="relative h-full min-h-[300px]">
-          <img src={images[idx].large || images[idx].thumb} alt={images[idx].fileName} className="w-full h-full object-cover object-center absolute inset-0 transition-opacity duration-1000" loading="lazy" />
+          <SmartImage src={images[idx].large || images[idx].thumb} alt={images[idx].fileName} className="transition-opacity duration-1000" />
           <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/90 via-black/30 to-transparent" />
           <div className="absolute bottom-0 left-0 right-0 p-5">
             <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mb-2">