$ort = "";

 $exif = exif_read_data($userImagePath);
// var_dump($exif) shows data; Orientation = int 6 on iPhone 5s upload

            if (isset($exif['Orientation']))
            {
                $ort = $exif['Orientation'];
            }

$image = WideImage::load($userImagePath);


            class WideImage_Operation_ExifOrient
            {
                /**
                * Rotates and mirrors and image properly based on current orientation value
                *
                * @param WideImage_Image $img
                * @param int $orientation
                * @return WideImage_Image
                */
                function execute($img, $orientation)
                {
                    switch ($orientation) {

                        case 1:
                        return $img;
                        break;

                        case 2:
                        return $img->flip();
                        break;

                        case 3:
                        return $img->rotate(180);
                        break;

                        case 4:
                        return $img->rotate(180)->flip();
                        break;

                        case 5:
                        return $img->rotate(90)->flip();
                        break;

                        case 6:
                        return $img->rotate(90);
                        break;

                        case 7:
                        return $img->rotate(-90)->mirror();
                        break;

                        case 8:
                        return $img->rotate(-90);
                        break;

                        default: return $img->copy();
                    }
                }
            }
            $image->ExifOrient($ort)->saveToFile($imageWithText);