A question on technique

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ujjwaldey8165

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I have noticed that some folks are obsessed with straightening the horizon.

Now, I accept that wonky horizon look crazy; unless done for effect or exaggeration. But why this obsession with absolute; and I mean absolute straight lines?

I know photoshop allows this to be done easily; and that feeds the frenzy to demonstrate technical competence through absolutely straight horizontals.

I think its one of those cases of technical capability ( via PS, in this case) driving the aesthetics. I personally dont find slightly tilted horizontals necessarily an eyesore. Its the overall impact of a photograph that counts. But then I personally was never enamoured by fashion photography ( even in the non digital days), since I knew there was a large amount of post processing went into it.

What do you guys, especially those who primarily use film, rather than digital think?
 
Well I like horizons to be horizontal and buildings to not look like the the leaning tower at Pisa, that's the way I am and can't help it.
 
I'm personally pretty obsessive about getting things straight and level, film or digital. One of the reasons behind this I think was that one of the first people I went shooting with was obsessed by it. As he was my primary source of hands on help and assistance, and also my main source of critique when i'd shot things solo, it kind of got ingrained. It also helped that I was using a 50mm prime lens, rather than wide-angle, and the focussing screen was etched with a grid pattern so converging verticals were rarer to get, and more noticeable in the viewfinder.

It's not as if correcting horizons/verticals etc is a new thing - it was going on in the darkroom as well. These days i've neither room for nor any great desire to put up with the smells of a wet darkroom, though I remember the process with a degree of fondness (which would probably disappear after the 8th failed attempt at getting the perfect print!)

Of course, for fun I mainly shoot landscapes/waterscapes and I think it just looks wrong when you can ski on the lake because of the slope it's on. If I was shooting street/reportage stuff, then it'd definitely be more about the vibe of the photo (not going to happen - if i'd wanted to shoot people i'd have joined the Army!)
 
Sorry, I need to add that I didn't imply post processing didn't happen in the film days - it did, but certainly not to the extent it happens now, where every one is postprocessing most of their photographs, sometimes to considerable extent.

Secondly, I have a personal dis-inclination towards post-processing. Not to say, thats good or bad, but thats just my choice.
 
It is because our brain has evolved to expect the horizon in the real world to be straight. When we see a tipped horizon in a photograph it becomes a distraction. As you say, if this was done on purpose to throw the viewer off balance, then great. If not it has the effect of taking the viewers attention away from the point of interest.
 
ujjwaldey8165 said:
Sorry, I need to add that I didn't imply post processing didn't happen in the film days - it did, but certainly not to the extent it happens now, where every one is postprocessing most of their photographs, sometimes to considerable extent.

Secondly, I have a personal dis-inclination towards post-processing. Not to say, thats good or bad, but thats just my choice.
Click to expand...

ya know printing is post processing, what contrast do I use, what paper and whether a neg should get more or less enlarging time all counts a PP its what I do in LR when I use digi.....

just a thought
 
ujjwaldey8165 said:
I know photoshop allows this to be done easily; and that feeds the frenzy to demonstrate technical competence through absolutely straight horizontals.
Click to expand...

It should be correct in the camera. Photoshop shouldn't be relied upon to correct your errors at a later date.

ujjwaldey8165 said:
What do you guys, especially those who primarily use film, rather than digital think?
Click to expand...

I'm 100% film and I try to get the picture I want onto the film when the shutter is pressed. My pictures don't go anywhere near a computer (other than for showing on websites and forums) so it has to be done this way.


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
It should be correct in the camera. Photoshop shouldn't be relied upon to correct your errors at a later date.



I'm 100% film and I try to get the picture I want onto the film when the shutter is pressed. My pictures don't go anywhere near a computer (other than for showing on websites and forums) so it has to be done this way.


Steve.
Click to expand...

Yes! Totally agree. :thumbs:

Although not totally film, I do both I try in both formats to get it right in camera. Only exception being if I'm deliberately taking for a certain effect ( eg tree to blur for abstract or maybe a scene for extreme HDR).

But they are really v.rare exceptions for me as I don't have any real PS skill nor a particular inclination to learn it. I do occasionally do a bit of tweaking if I mess up eg holiday shot I want to keep (maybe it's just polishing a turd though:gag: ), but much prefer to not spend time post processing when I can get it right in camera.
 
Steve/Chris, i totally agree with you. My photographing is over when the shutter is pressed. To me, either get it right in the camera; or dont bother at all.

However, I was wondering more about how important is one small technical aspect of a photograph compared to the overall impact. Ideally offcourse, everything has to be exact; but in reality does it really matter if some aspect ( say horizontals) are not 100% perfect ( not to say its at 10 or 20 degree off, but say 3 or 5 degree off); if the photo has a great impact overall? ( The other day I was seeing a photograph in the critique section; and quite a few folks were discussing a horizontal which was imperceptibly tilted; but none commented on the overall impact of the picture. That set me thinking : how come everyone is noticing a very minor issue; but not commenting on the overall framing)

I was also thinking about what really makes an impact in a photograph. I think its how the central object in photo relates to the rest of the element. Very difficcult to explain; or even to understand, but a good photographer always knows when he looks at one.

Folks like me get it very rarely, if ever; but sometimes you look at a shot and know its exactly the right one.

Possible thats the 'art' that really cant be taught. The craft, on the other hand, is easily learnt.

Sorry for the late evening rambling, but, as you can see, I have way too much time on my hand today.
 
I think if the horizon is impacting the look of the image it's important.

I think it's more important on landscape shots than others, and something that you can easily correct on site with a good tripod / spirit level.

However if that's the only thing people are critiquing a picture on the either there's not a lot else wrong with the image/composition, or they're not pointing out maybe greater failings with the composition.

There's normally some things that help in composing images, though all the "rules" can be broken. Eg Landscapes rule of thirds, not placing the object centre etc. Wildlife - give the subject space to move into etc.

Just looking at others people/pro shots is a good way of helping you "see" shots I find.
 
Don't forget it's the result not the way you get it that's important. It takes a creative eye to retouch and in my thousands of published photos probably all went through the hands of a retoucher.Digital has just made this easier I remember when (god I sound like my father) my retoucher used to strip emulsion from one transparency to another ,we also used to go to the states for very expensive dry transfers. why not use all the tools of your trade to finish with the best result possible. if you dont agree why use the best film, you should be making your own emulsion.
Sorry if this sounds a bit arrogant but it's the result that counts
 
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