diff --git a/fastplotlib/layouts/_base.py b/fastplotlib/layouts/_base.py
index 68221ad11..903beb625 100644
--- a/fastplotlib/layouts/_base.py
+++ b/fastplotlib/layouts/_base.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import numpy as np
 from pygfx import Scene, OrthographicCamera, PerspectiveCamera, PanZoomController, OrbitController, \
     Viewport, WgpuRenderer
 from wgpu.gui.auto import WgpuCanvas
@@ -37,6 +38,13 @@ def __init__(
             self.camera
         )
 
+        # camera.far and camera.near clipping planes get
+        # wonky with setting controller.distance = 0
+        if isinstance(self.camera, OrthographicCamera):
+            self.controller.distance = 0
+            # also set a initial zoom
+            self.controller.zoom(0.8 / self.controller.zoom_value)
+
         self.renderer.add_event_handler(self.set_viewport_rect, "resize")
 
         self._graphics: List[Graphic] = list()
@@ -135,6 +143,15 @@ def center_graphic(self, graphic, zoom: float = 1.3):
         self.controller.zoom(zoom)
 
     def center_scene(self, zoom: float = 1.3):
+        """
+        Auto-center the scene, does not scale.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        zoom: float, default 1.3
+            apply a zoom after centering the scene
+
+        """
         if not len(self.scene.children) > 0:
             return
 
@@ -148,6 +165,32 @@ def center_scene(self, zoom: float = 1.3):
 
         self.controller.zoom(zoom)
 
+    def auto_scale(self, maintain_aspect: bool = False, zoom: float = 0.8):
+        """
+        Auto-scale the camera w.r.t to the scene
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        maintain_aspect: bool, default ``False``
+            maintain the camera aspect ratio for all dimensions, if ``False`` the camera
+            is scaled according to the bounds in each dimension.
+
+        zoom: float, default 0.8
+            zoom value for the camera after auto-scaling, if zoom = 1.0 then the graphics
+            in the scene will fill the entire canvas.
+        """
+        self.center_scene()
+        self.camera.maintain_aspect = maintain_aspect
+
+        width, height, depth = np.ptp(self.scene.get_world_bounding_box(), axis=0)
+
+        self.camera.width = width
+        self.camera.height = height
+
+        # self.controller.distance = 0
+
+        self.controller.zoom(zoom / self.controller.zoom_value)
+
     def get_graphics(self):
         return self._graphics
 
diff --git a/fastplotlib/layouts/_gridplot.py b/fastplotlib/layouts/_gridplot.py
index 1e322c587..cf030b37e 100644
--- a/fastplotlib/layouts/_gridplot.py
+++ b/fastplotlib/layouts/_gridplot.py
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ def show(self):
         self.canvas.request_draw(self.render)
 
         for subplot in self:
-            subplot.center_scene()
+            subplot.auto_scale(maintain_aspect=True, zoom=0.95)
 
         return self.canvas
 
diff --git a/fastplotlib/layouts/_subplot.py b/fastplotlib/layouts/_subplot.py
index 55fdacff7..4cd6020eb 100644
--- a/fastplotlib/layouts/_subplot.py
+++ b/fastplotlib/layouts/_subplot.py
@@ -88,8 +88,12 @@ def __init__(
             self.set_title(self.name)
 
     def _create_graphic(self, graphic_class, *args, **kwargs):
+        if "center" in kwargs.keys():
+            center = kwargs.pop("center")
+        else:
+            center = False
         graphic = graphic_class(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.add_graphic(graphic, center=False)
+        self.add_graphic(graphic, center=center)
 
         return graphic
 
diff --git a/fastplotlib/plot.py b/fastplotlib/plot.py
index a5f5a3a44..dc5c3170c 100644
--- a/fastplotlib/plot.py
+++ b/fastplotlib/plot.py
@@ -91,6 +91,6 @@ def render(self):
 
     def show(self):
         self.canvas.request_draw(self.render)
-        self.center_scene()
+        self.auto_scale(maintain_aspect=True, zoom=0.95)
 
         return self.canvas