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Straight Horizons

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6stringer

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Hey all,

Long time lurker, 1st time poster. You know, in the last month I've read about four books on exposure, post processing, white balance and all that complicated stuff concerning cameras. And yet, despite all I've learned, my single biggest problem is straight horizons! It's frustrating, and I don't have software to correct it yet, but I would still like to get it right "in the field" as they say.

Anyone else struggle with this? I recently started using the grid display on the camera, but sometimes that doesn't seem to help much. In fact, it appears that I naturally want to have the horizon slope upwards from Left to Right. Everytime, like clock work....

Suggestions?!
--
amateurapertures.blogspot.com
 
6stringer said:
Edit: I've just noticed that you appear to be tilting anti-clockwise which I can't easily explain but I'll leave my post here i case it helps anyone else.
Click to expand...
I'll assume you're shooting a relatively lightweight and compact camera.

Unless you're very careful it's easy to slightly tilt the camera clockwise whilst depressing the shutter release as they are almost invariably on the right hand side of the camera. I had exactly the same problem when I started taking gallery shots for our compact reviews as I was more accustomed to shooting DSLRs previously...and being able to crop and level in PP!

Of course DSLRs have the potential issue of a misaligned focus screen which will result in a similar discrepancy between what you see and what you get.

You may find it helps to tilt the camera anti-clockwise ever so slightly before taking the shot to cancel out the movement. Alternatively, press the camera to your face and use the viewfinder - if available - as this will significantly reduce the risk of movement prior to and during exposure.

Hope this helps,
Gordon
--
Gordon Solomon
Assistant technical writer, dpreview.com
 
I would think that any basic PP program has a Rotate Canvas function.

In PS, I use the Measure tool to draw a line between 2 points that "should be" level (either Horizontal or Vertical). PS calculates this angle, then when I got to Rotate canvas, it has already pre-populated the field with the angle of deviation.

Of course if you rely on this, you need to remember to shoot a little wide since you will then need to slightly crop your picture to exclude the now blank areas on the canvas
--
Warm regards,
DOF
There is no satisfactory substitute for excellence
Dr. Arnold O. Beckman
 
6stringer said:
Hey all,

Long time lurker, 1st time poster. You know, in the last month I've
read about four books on exposure, post processing, white balance and
all that complicated stuff concerning cameras. And yet, despite all
I've learned, my single biggest problem is straight horizons! It's
frustrating, and I don't have software to correct it yet, but I would
still like to get it right "in the field" as they say.

Anyone else struggle with this? I recently started using the grid
display on the camera, but sometimes that doesn't seem to help much.
In fact, it appears that I naturally want to have the horizon slope
upwards from Left to Right. Everytime, like clock work....

Suggestions?!
Click to expand...
From time to time we become aware of a bad shooting technique that we are using. So the first step to correction is to become aware of the problem. You've done that... :)

May I suggest that you simply go outside and start shooting with this problem in mind? Once you develop a technique to overcome this problem, it will eventually become second nature.

It's not as if practice is going to cost you money... :)

Dave
 
I have had the same problem forever, so I had grid focusing screens installed on my Nikon F, F2, FA, and F100 over the years. When I switched to digital, I bought a Nikon D50, which I loved, but my horizons statrted tilting again, so I moved to a D80.

I think everyone who has replied has given you good advice, and since you have a grid in your viewfinder, the suggestion that you really concentrate on the alignment before taking the picture is certainly a very good one. Fortunately you can review your picture and reshoot if necessary, an option that didn't exist with film. The observation that almost all PP software gives you the ability to straighten the horizon is also right, as is the point that you might want to include a little additional area to allow for cropping. I think most cameras take in a little more area than the viewfinder shows anyway, so that isn't normally a problem.

It's amazing how many people encounter this. I used to think I was unique, but after seeing this question pop up on these forums (fora?) so many times, I feel better about it.
--
Art Caputi
 
You are not alone, believe me. All my horizons slope downwards to the right by 1 - 2 degrees. Thank heavens for photoshop.
--
Mike
 
Not really sure how we can help, as what you need to do is to take those extra few seconds making your horizon is straight when you take each shot
--
Canon 4 life
 
Thanks for all the help!

I basically only use Zoombrowswer right now, and I haven't seen anything in there that would let me correct it. I really don't want to rush out and buy more software, as I already have a lot of money into it, in a very short time, so I need to be mindfull of that. It has to STOP SOMEWHERE!?

Yes, I am using the G7, and it has the grid, I think I may just have to be a little but more mindfull of how things look in the viewfinder before pressing the shutter button. It just drives me crazy when a perfectly good picture gets ruined by that.

--
amateurapertures.blogspot.com
My fully documented blunders in Photography
 
It took me about 6 months of practice, and now I can tell if a picture is 2mm out on a wall by looking only.

The conscious mind or right side, can handle about 7 - 9 tasks at one time. End of story, that is how our brain functions.

The right side of the brain seems to have very few limits.

So, if you are thinking focus, horizon, subject, trees out of heads, composition etc. get my point you will start missing things. Many.

So, make your self a check list for how you wish to shoot.

Say 10 -15 points, and alway do them in that order.

After a few days and 20 - 100 times, it will become auto, or a function of the right brain - like auto pilot.

Congrats on all your reading, thats more than many do.

--
Peter

Persuasive Marketing Systems -
inc Copywriting, Design & Photography
 
Thats actually been quite the problem. Every time I go out and practice there seems to be one thing I forget! The other morning I got up bright and early before sunrise and took about 45 pictures, it wasn't until picture 40 that I realized my white balance was wrong leaving every picture with a blue haze on it.

oh well. It's getting there. thanks for the tip on Picassa, I'll check it out.

--
amateurapertures.blogspot.com
My fully documented blunders in Photography
 
6stringer said:
wasn't until picture 40 that I realized my white balance was wrong
leaving every picture with a blue haze on it.

oh well. It's getting there. thanks for the tip on Picassa, I'll
check it out.
Click to expand...
Before you shoot any NEW scene, quickly recite to yourself WIFE, and then check these settings:
W - White Balance
I - ISO
F - Focus mode (AF/MF, AF-C, AF-S, etc
E - Exposure mode/settings
--
Warm regards,
DOF
There is no satisfactory substitute for excellence
Dr. Arnold O. Beckman
 
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