A:AnswerYes you can. There is a U shaped notch on the side of the ball head that allows you to position the stem of the ball head 90 degrees for Portrait photos.
A:AnswerYes it will work, however, you will want to replace the head if you're going to be panning and tilting. I'm currently using the Manfrotto MVH500AH Flat Base Pro Fluid Head to give smooth pan and tilt. I'm sure there are cheaper ones out there. But this tripod is definitely sturdy enough. I have two of them.