And today's photography tip is...

[dmdigital]

After seeing a lot of images posted on this and other forums today with the water running out of them. In other words the horizons weren't straight! I thought a thread of tips might be useful. Please feel free to constructively contribute.

So to kick things off...


Look at the composition in the viewfinder (or LCD):
* Is the horizon straight?
* Is everything where I want it in the frame?

[CowsGoMoo]

And is the little wave in the viewfinder really a big monster in real life and going to drench me.... :p

[vnx205]

After seeing a lot of images posted on this and other forums today with the water running out of them. In other words the horizons weren't straight! I thought a thread of tips might be useful. Please feel free to constructively contribute.

So to kick things off...


Look at the composition in the viewfinder (or LCD):
* Is the horizon straight?
* Is everything where I want it in the frame?

The problem with that piece of advice is that the horizon usually is straight. It is the viewfinder that is crooked.

I am trying to be constructive with that comment. I believe that is why it is such a common problem. We naturally look at the horizon, which is straight, not at the frame, which is crooked.

[WhiteD3]

I have been guilty of this sin many times but usually pick it up in post processing. I am having trouble with the 10-20mm deciding what's straight and what's not though.

[CowsGoMoo]

Can be very hard to see the horizon in the dark. I find a small spirt level slotted into the flash shoe helps heaps.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/06/1056.jpg

[WhiteD3]

Clever idea. Where'd you get that?

[Chucaro]

In many cases where the weather conditions or rising tide is extreme a quick shot it is only possible.
In these cases levelling the horizon it is the first action in the PP workflow ;)

[CowsGoMoo]

Clever idea. Where'd you get that?

Many camera places have them but cheapest would be eBay. Mine is only a 2 axis one but I notice many are now 3 axis. That would be handy when you turn the camera.

[Cap]

I know someone who suffers severely from "Horizontitis"... I will have a chat with him about it ;)

[vnx205]

The same problem of people looking at the subject and not noticing that the frame is crooked also happens with movies.

People believe they are holding the camera still because what they are looking at is not shaking. They don't notice that the outside of the viewfinder is shaking. Consequently the majority of clips on YouTube have appalling camera shake.

[dmdigital]

Those levels are good, so is the artificial horizon on the D3s. On the D200 I always shot with the grid turned on in the viewfinder. Wish the D3s had that too sometime.

[Chucaro]

Those levels are good, so is the artificial horizon on the D3s. On the D200 I always shot with the grid turned on in the viewfinder. Wish the D3s had that too sometime.

The D300s have the grid as well :)