Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

[Chevvyf1]

Hi, in Landscapes "must the horizon be straight?".

This question just came up on another thread here.

I took this shot and deliberately included the horizon a few degrees off straight. I wanted to capture my view from laying on the beach, where I was playing with a coconut ... daydreaming for ages and then thought "a shot" of life on a desert island

[shirley]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Hi, in Landscapes "must the horizon be straight?".

This question just came up on another thread here.

I took this shot and deliberately included the horizon a few degrees off straight. I wanted to capture my view from laying on the beach, where I was playing with a coconut ... daydreaming for ages and then thought "a shot" of life on a desert island

Personally I think rules are there as a guideline and can/should be broken if the image demands it. In this case, if I am honest, I am not sure what the wonky horizon adds to the image and in some ways it detracts, sending your eye all over the image.
I would probably simplify the pic, leaving the coconut and the sea as the only elements, cropping into portrait and putting the coconut towards bottom rightish, your desert island idea would stll be applicable.

[Phill D]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Ditto from me Shirley I was thinking the same. Alternately you could go much wider angle and get much more of the angled horrizon plus sky in the shot and maybe get closer to the sand to make it obvious what you were trying to do.

[theMusicMan]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

There's no rule that says a landscape image should be straight - it just looks better when it is. However, if you (or a client) likes a shot where the horizon is not straight then that's fine too.

There seems to be a few photographers where tilting the camera is the order of the day - especially in wedding photography. Some of the time, this looks fine to me too!

[Barr1e]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

There's no rule that says a landscape image should be straight - it just looks better when it is. However, if you (or a client) likes a shot where the horizon is not straight then that's fine too.

There seems to be a few photographers where tilting the camera is the order of the day - especially in wedding photography. Some of the time, this looks fine to me too!

As seen here John.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNTtufHev8o"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNTtufHev8o[/ame]

Daughter's wedding.

Regards. Barr1e

[StephenL]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

If there is a geographical horizon in a photo, as opposed to, say, the straight line of a building or room, then it would bother me if it were anything but level. There may be a few exceptions to this, but generally wonky horizons annoy the he** out of me.

Note I didn't use the word "rule", because I don't believe there should be rules in photography.

[OlyPaul]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Tilting the vertical for artistic effect is fine if it has the desired effect.

The problem is on landscapes with a horizon it just looks like a mistake, and if you have to explain that it was for artistic effect then you failed anyway.

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Interesting comments ! Phil, Jon, Barrie, Stephen and Paul. I have decided I do not like this shot as is! and I do prefer straight horizons generally!

Here is another shot taken at the same time - which I think I shall crop out around the coconut !



Shirley I am going to crop as portrait and cut out the horizon - I never thought of doing that ! great idea! Thank You

[Guest]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Chevvy - the interest is all in the washed up coconut and your pic would say more if you had taken it as a close up with surf breaking over it.

It needed no horizon or all that sea in the first place.

[Floribunda]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Hi Chevvy - Thanks for picking up this question and running with it!
I think you got my point that I was trying to make in that surely horizons don't always have to be straight (although I concede that most are better if they are.
It all depends what you are trying to convey to the viewer.

And here I go again - probably out of step with most of the replies, but I like your original coconut shot.

It gives me the feeling of the coconut in context on the beach with the slightly more distant view. It looks as if the waves have washed it up rather than in your cropped view of it just sitting there.

ps Did you like my STRAIGHT horizon in "I wish I was still there?" - I can be orthodox when I choose to be!

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Hi Chevvy - Thanks for picking up this question and running with it!

I think you got my point that I was trying to make in that surely horizons don't always have to be straight (although I concede that most are better if they are.

It all depends what you are trying to convey to the viewer.

...
ps Did you like my STRAIGHT horizon in "I wish I was still there?" - I can be orthodox when I choose to be!

Lyn, I feel it depends on what the tog wants to capture! For Art I shall crop the coconut in portrait ! But for my "holiday snapshot" I like the sqiffy bit of land, as it was me laying in the surf - chucking the coconut out to sea if it came back and where

I like your straight in "I wish I was still there?"

Mark your right, the nut alone is good enough ... now glad I took in RAW and can crop down lots ... off to do it !

[Guest]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

I have taken some pics of the mountains around Canberra which fall away left to right and create a feeling that the horizon is not level - I have had to argue with some that is how the landscape is. Not straight. Many won't have it.

See my pic of the mountains re myths.

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Ok I have cropped the nut and posted here

http://e-group.uk.net/forum/showthread.php?p=122441#post122441

[CallaWolf]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

interesting discussion. In the end, it all depends on the effect/emotion you want to create. As someone who suffers with inner ear problems from time to time I can genuinely say that the first picture makes me feel nauseous if I stare at it for more than a few seconds - presumably this is because my brain is trying (and failing) to reconcile the horizon.
The cropped shot has almost the same effect on me because of the slanted top wave. HOWEVER, cropping that wave out creates a completely different feel - tranquillity, relaxation and equilibrium. It goes to show just how important that crop tool is.

[Guest]

Re: Landscape ? must Horizon be straight ?

Ok I have cropped the nut and posted here
http://e-group.uk.net/forum/showthre...441#post122441

Now Chevvy, any of those is exactly how a washed up coconut oughta look!

Love it!