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Straight horizons?
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I was browsing some pictures online this evening, and came across ther site of a freelance photographer who specialises in portraits. In his gallery, I found these:
http://www.chaselliott.com/portrait/images/portraits%2028.jpg
http://www.chaselliott.com/portrait/images/portraits%2026.jpg
While I think they’re good pictures, my understanding was that a sloping horizon was always something to be avoided. I’m assuming here that this wasn’t overlooked by the photographer. Why would they be left like that rather than straightening them up?
Paul
Hi Paul,
Can’t think of any good reason for them being like that.
They should have been straight when taken.They can, as you no doubt know, be straightened in software but
it means losing some of the image when cropped.Why did this particular photographer not do either of these?
He/she must think they are ok.
I don’t.
John.
You don’t usually lose much though.
I don’t think they’re OK either, because it jumps out of the picture at you, and distracts you from the subject (and once you notice something like that its impossible to stop noticing it). Still I thought he’s a pro and I’m not…and these are his best images (what else would you put in your online gallery?), so there must be method in his madness – I just can’t see what it is though.
I might e-mail him and ask…I’m sure a rank amateur criticising his images out of the blue will make his day! :wink:
Paul
Hi Paul,
Go for it. Sometimes one just needs to be told the truth.
Hope he can handle it.
Keep us posted.
John.
Ha, I’d already sent it.
Nothing critical, just a very diplomatic note to say I admire his work and wish I could produce such good images but I’m confused about the horizons and wondering why he chose to leave them sloped. If they straighten up in the meantime we’ll know… but I just can’t believe that’s an oversight.
Watch this space…
Paul
I won’t comment on the links you have posted as I am quite sure the photographer will be directed to this thread through his/her web logs.
But regarding crooked horizons, perhaps I should be first to speak given my reputation as being the founding member of the horizon police.
Firstly let me say, horizons don’t need to be straight. There have been some great examples posted on these forums of crooked and curved horizons. These images have often been dynamic and interesting. The tilted horizon can sometimes act as leading line which helps to direct the viewers gaze in a particular direction.
Saying that, there is a certain type of landscape image where the crooked or curved horizon just looks sloppy. This type of landcape image is the type of image that is perfectly exposed, perfectly focused, perfectly composed. The attention to detail in the postprocessing is perfect and the image is flawless.
Except…… there is a big banana in the horizon or it is slanted in one direction.
When the rest of the image is so “perfect”. These sorts of flaws stand out like a sore thumb. Not everyone is interested in these sorts of “perfect” landscapes. But for those who are, I think the horizons should be properly sorted. Of course the images you posted are in another genre entirely and is one in which the slanted horizon is perfectly acceptable.
Andy of the Horizon Police
andy mcinroy wrote:
Of course the images you posted are in another genre entirely and is one in which the slanted horizon is perfectly acceptable.
Andy of the Horizon Police
Crooked/bent horizons need to be deliberate; less than 1 degree makes a landscape look peculiar, but if the ‘landscape’
is the background for something else then it doesn’t matter, as here.Would it have disimproved these images if the horizons had been straight or straightened?
John.
I don’t like those pictures either way… with the tilted horizons they look like holiday snapshots… but maybe that was the photographers original idea, to create holiday snapshot-like photos for the family. Who knows?
Well, I received a prompt response:
Hi Paul,
Good question. I usually use the straighten tool inside of Aperture if I was unintentionally holding the camera at a tilt. On these two images I didn’t ever notice the horizon was tilted until you mentioned it. Need to keep a sharper eye out for that issue, especially for ocean shots. It be nice if there were places in the world like that though, you could go water skiing with out needing a boat. :)
Thanks for the critique.
Chas
Not what I was expecting, but it is consistent with Andy’s comments.
Paul
Hi Paul,
Fairplay to Chas for coming back to you.
He was honest enough to admit that he had’nt noticed that
the horizons were’nt straight until you pointed it out.If he had’nt noticed the horizons he did’nt make a decision, good or bad,
to leave them as they are.I suppose it makes little difference to us either way.
As long as he’s happy.I always enjoy a bit of discussion.
John.
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