diff --git a/libraries/joomla/image/helper.php b/libraries/joomla/image/helper.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..372826732287b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/joomla/image/helper.php
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * @package     Joomla.Platform
+ * @subpackage  Image
+ *
+ * @copyright   Copyright (C) 2005 - 2014 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * @license     GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE
+ */
+
+defined('JPATH_PLATFORM') or die;
+
+/**
+ * Image helper class, provides static methods to perform various tasks relevant
+ * to the Joomla image routines.
+ *
+ * @package     Joomla.Platform
+ * @subpackage  Image
+ *
+ * @since       __DEPLOY_VERSION__
+ */
+abstract class JImageHelper
+{
+	/**
+	 * @const  string
+	 * @since  __DEPLOY_VERSION__
+	 */
+	const ORIENTATION_LANDSCAPE = 'landscape';
+
+	/**
+	 * @const  string
+	 * @since  __DEPLOY_VERSION__
+	 */
+	const ORIENTATION_PORTRAIT = 'portrait';
+
+	/**
+	 * @const  string
+	 * @since  __DEPLOY_VERSION__
+	 */
+	const ORIENTATION_SQUARE = 'square';
+
+	/**
+	 * Method to return a properties object for an image given a filesystem path.
+	 * The result object has values for image width, height, type, attributes,
+	 * bits, channels, mime type, filesize and orientation.
+	 *
+	 * @param   string  $path  The filesystem path to the image for which to get properties.
+	 *
+	 * @return  stdClass
+	 *
+	 * @throws  InvalidArgumentException
+	 * @throws  RuntimeException
+	 *
+	 * @since   3.4
+	 */
+	public static function getImageFileProperties($path)
+	{
+		// Make sure the file exists.
+		if (!file_exists($path))
+		{
+			throw new InvalidArgumentException('The image file does not exist.');
+		}
+
+		// Get the image file information.
+		$info = getimagesize($path);
+
+		if (!$info)
+		{
+			// @codeCoverageIgnoreStart
+			throw new RuntimeException('Unable to get properties for the image.');
+
+			// @codeCoverageIgnoreEnd
+		}
+
+		// Build the response object.
+		$properties = (object) array(
+			'width' => $info[0],
+			'height' => $info[1],
+			'type' => $info[2],
+			'attributes' => $info[3],
+			'bits' => isset($info['bits']) ? $info['bits'] : null,
+			'channels' => isset($info['channels']) ? $info['channels'] : null,
+			'mime' => $info['mime'],
+			'filesize' => filesize($path),
+			'orientation' => self::getOrientation((int) $info[0], (int) $info[1])
+		);
+
+		return $properties;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Compare width and height integers to determine image orientation.
+	 *
+	 * @param   integer  $width   The width value to use for calculation
+	 * @param   integer  $height  The height value to use for calculation
+	 *
+	 * @return  mixed    Orientation string or null.
+	 *
+	 * @since   3.4
+	 */
+	public static function getOrientation($width, $height)
+	{
+		switch (true)
+		{
+		case ($width > $height) :
+			return self::ORIENTATION_LANDSCAPE;
+
+		case ($width < $height) :
+			return self::ORIENTATION_PORTRAIT;
+
+		case ($width == $height) :
+			return self::ORIENTATION_SQUARE;
+
+		default :
+			return null;
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/libraries/joomla/image/image.php b/libraries/joomla/image/image.php
index c48f141861fc6..7d9cbe0cc3185 100644
--- a/libraries/joomla/image/image.php
+++ b/libraries/joomla/image/image.php
@@ -114,49 +114,47 @@ public function __construct($source = null)
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Method to return a properties object for an image given a filesystem path.  The
-	 * result object has values for image width, height, type, attributes, mime type, bits,
-	 * and channels.
+	 * Method to return a properties object for an image given a filesystem path.
+	 * The result object has values for image width, height, type, attributes,
+	 * mime type, bits and channels.
 	 *
 	 * @param   string  $path  The filesystem path to the image for which to get properties.
 	 *
 	 * @return  stdClass
 	 *
 	 * @since   11.3
+	 *
 	 * @throws  InvalidArgumentException
 	 * @throws  RuntimeException
+	 *
+	 * @deprecated  4.0  Use JImageHelper::getImageFileProperties instead.
 	 */
 	public static function getImageFileProperties($path)
 	{
-		// Make sure the file exists.
-		if (!file_exists($path))
-		{
-			throw new InvalidArgumentException('The image file does not exist.');
-		}
-
-		// Get the image file information.
-		$info = getimagesize($path);
+		return JImageHelper::getImageFileProperties($path);
+	}
 
-		if (!$info)
+	/**
+	 * Method to detect whether an image's orientation is landscape, portrait or square.
+	 * The orientation will be returned as string.
+	 *
+	 * @access  public
+	 *
+	 * @return  mixed   Orientation string or null.
+	 *
+	 * @since   3.4
+	 */
+	public function getOrientation()
+	{
+		if ($this->isLoaded())
 		{
-			// @codeCoverageIgnoreStart
-			throw new RuntimeException('Unable to get properties for the image.');
+			$width  = $this->getWidth();
+			$height = $this->getHeight();
 
-			// @codeCoverageIgnoreEnd
+			return JImageHelper::getOrientation($width, $height);
 		}
 
-		// Build the response object.
-		$properties = (object) array(
-			'width' => $info[0],
-			'height' => $info[1],
-			'type' => $info[2],
-			'attributes' => $info[3],
-			'bits' => isset($info['bits']) ? $info['bits'] : null,
-			'channels' => isset($info['channels']) ? $info['channels'] : null,
-			'mime' => $info['mime']
-		);
-
-		return $properties;
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	/**