Fixing horizons in the shot, not in Photoshop

[michaelchadwickphotography]

<p>On another post, one of our members mentioned the challenge of skewed horizons in their shots. I have faced this challenge a few times and have had to go back and fix a couple of those in the Photoshop RAW editor and that's never a good thing. <br>

I shoot and think that I'm getting a level shot, but when I take it back to the computer I find that it's just a tad off level. I hand hold most of the time, so I don't usually get the benefit of my tripod's levels to guide me. The poster mentioned "right-eye dominant" and I would love to hear other opinions about this problem, for anyone willing to share. : )</p>

 

[Matt Laur]

<p>I find it's easier just to turn on the camera's in-finder grid lines, and actually resolve the problem that way. Approaches will depend on the camera, of course. Some fancy-pants units have a built-in artificial horizon, which is very cool. But I've rarely seen a situation where the finder's grid lines (horizontal or vertical) couldn't be squared up to something in the scene to get it right. If there's nothing in the scene to use as a guide (the actual horizon, an archtectural element, etc) then it's unlikely that the resulting image will seem off kilter anyway, unless you're way, way off.</p>

[michaelchadwickphotography]

<p>I'm using a not-very-fancy-pants Canon 50D as a primary, and while I have not RTFM (read the f*** manual) I searched throughout the settings and could not find a way to generate horizon lines in the viewfinder, only in the LiveView which I detest using. : )</p>

<p>I will RTFM and see if something IS actually in there that I'm missing. Thanks for the tip!</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>If that body doesn't have an in-finder grid you can turn on, then your next best bet when hand-shooting is to use the edge of the finder, straighten up, and then just swing up or sideways a bit to recompose once you're oriented. It's just a way to mentally calibrate what you're seeing.<br /><br />I've also found that I keep my Gin & Tonics down to the same number as the aperture at which I'm shooting. So, f/2.8 means just under three drinks. <br /><br />OK, so that last part was more of a guideline, than a rule.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>I don't think the 50D has the ability to generate horizon lines. The new 7D has some leveling feature, I think, although I could be wrong. In any case, that doesn't help you now. I generally don't worry about leveling things in general, candid shooting. When I am shooting something where I want things to be level, I just use the frame edges. I still don't worry about it much, though. I shoot RAW and when I process files in Lightroom, I fix horizons, if they need to be fixed.</p>

<p>I have a background in graphic design, and can level things pretty easily. When I used a Hasselblad, leveling was no problem--I did it intuitively. When I started using 35mm digital, I didn't do as well, and the fact that I started with a cropped sensor camera didn't help. But again--I don't worry about it much.</p>

<p>I guess if you consistently tilt to one side or the other, you could train yourself to correct the tilt.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>To be clear, I'm not talking about an artificial (and moving) horizon representation. That's only present on the really spendy gear right now. But many bodies to have simple static compositional grid lines that can be toggled off and on the finder. I never turn mine off - just too helpful for this exact sort of thing.</p>

[anov]

<p>Canon Ef-D focusing screen have that grid. I used one on my 40D but the same one can be used on the 50D. It's not as elegant as Nikon's LCD solution (EOS 7D just started to address it), but it works fine.</p>

[john_deerfield]

<p>Matt, most Nikon's have a grid, most Canon's do not.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Well, I wasn't going pour salt in that particular wound, John! I'm glad to hear there are alternative focusing screens that can address the issue.</p>

[michaelchadwickphotography]

<p>"Canon Ef-D focusing screen have that grid. I used one on my 40D but the same one can be used on the 50D. It's not as elegant as Nikon's LCD solution (EOS 7D just started to address it), but it works fine."</p>

<p>I didn't know about this little gem! And B&H is just down the block - I'll be stopping there on my way home, I think! Thank you for the tip!!!</p>

<p>I am starting to think perhaps one of my legs is longer than the other. ; )</p>

<p>And Matt, that's an excellent tip about the number of drinks. I don't know why, but every wedding I go to the guests and the bride and everyone is shoving drinks at me. It's like they WANT me to shoot in the same daze they're in!</p>

[wedding-photography-denver]

<p>I had two Canon cameras (one a 20D and one a 40D) where the sensor seemed to be skewed.</p>

<p>I would set up the camera with the lines of a building or something similar, perfectly aligned to the VF edge and then later find the image a little tilted to the right (or left, can't recall). I actually began to adjust for it in cam, but never did get it quite right.</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

[pete_harlan1]

<p>I think many of us need to do a little PP after the fact to level.<br>

I see this further exaccerbated when using extreme wide angles when distortion comes into play, so even the VF may not be 100% honest. :)</p>

<p>The (virtual horizon) IMO is a little gimmicky. It works like a aircrafts gyro horizon, always maintaining level. Great if you need to know if the CAMERA is level, but useless when the horizon may not be level or when the photographer wants to introduce some intentional skew. Like others here, I prefer static grid lines in the VF; mine are off most of the time unless I have little no reference to horizontal or vertical.</p>

<p>I guess I came up the old fashioned way learning to use the VF edges to insure good alignment. ;) </p>

[art_tatum]

<p>If not in the viewfinder then Lightroom 2 has an excellent tool for fixing horizons.</p>

[michaelchadwickphotography]

<p>I have Photoshop CS3 and it has an excellent tool for fixing horizons on RAW images. I'm just trying to improve my workflow by not having to do that in my post-processing.</p>

<p>I ordered the focusing screen and have a big shoot this coming weekend. We'll see if it helps!</p>

[William Michael]

<p><em><strong>"I've also found that I keep my Gin & Tonics down to the same number as the aperture at which I'm shooting. So, f/2.8 means just under three drinks." <br /></strong></em><br>

It must be interesting when shooting Landscapes . . . and Macro.<br>

WW</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I think that's why my landscapes all have that certain impressionist quality, William.</p>

[allardk]

<p>I'm pretty bad at keeping my 40D level. Even when sober. I found that using the AF points in the viewfinder isnot too bad for "poor man's gridlines". I never used the Ef-D screen, because I got an Ef-S and really liked the more realistic DOF and accurate focus check that I get with that.</p>

[William Michael]

<p><strong><em>"impressionist quality"</em></strong> . . . fostered a few belly laughs, this side of the pond. . . as did <em><strong>"fancy-pants units" . . .</strong></em> but it wasn't until we read further, that we realized you were speaking of Cameras - we thought you meant Photographers, Cheers, WW</p>

[carlwakefield]

<p>I would double up with what A Novisto said get a focusing screen with the grid on it. I did this with my 5D and its much easier to get it straight. Even after exceeding Matts drinks to appeture rule. Lets face it good photographers like to work at breaking rules.</p>

[bryanwaddington]

<p>I also use the EF-D focusing screen with the grid, in my 5D, but I still often get wonky horizons when using the camera handheld. Interestingly this mostly happens when I have the camera in portrait orientation .. I blame my astigmatism and the fact I need to get new glasses :-) I use a little spirit level when I'm using a tripod. Actually it can be quite difficult to get the horizon straight when using a wide angle and the horizon can be a really small part of you image. It's no big deal to straighten it up in PS providing you're not too far off and end up cropping too much from your image.</p>

[tomwatt]

<p>Michael, the 50D has a diamond-shaped pattern of focus-points in the viewfinder... you can use those as a sighting aid to find horizontal/vertical to get pretty close.<br>

Worst case scenario is onboard a pitching boat trying to shoot sometimes yielding as much as 15 degrees off the level... in which case the "Ruler" tool followed by Image Rotation/Arbitrary in Photoshop is a handy way to get the angle right afterwards.</p>

[zack_lau]

<p>I had problems with horizons in my photographs after having a stroke and losing my sense of balance. Fortunately, with a lot a rehab I was able to regain my balance--the problem with horizons went away. Might balance exercises improve your photos? In my case it took many years to become comfortable on a ladder again.</p>

[mdc002]

<p>Michael,<br>

Why do you "detest" using live view? I find that using live view has improved my compositions quite a bit. Granted, I don't use it when handholding, but I use it almost all the time when my camera is on a tripod. I have read statments from photographers on some forums that they don't use live view because they are "slr users, not point and shoot users". My philosophy is , if my camera has a useful tool that will help me make better photos, use it!</p>

[segedi]

<p>I have the 50D and also bought the EF-D grid. It was really easy to take out the stock focus screen and install the new one on the camera. I have used it and it seems to have helped! The other suggestion is to just shoot at a 45degree angle. Horizon a little off = problem; horizon way off = art : )</p>

[jacques_jangoux]

<p>I wonder what in our brain skews the horizon, specially when you shoot fast, for example following with predictive focus a car passing by you. Of course in this specific case you have to turn your whole body and possibly our brain cannot process all the functions simultaneously. But landscapes? Especially ifthere is a slope or mountain on one side. You think you have the horizon straight, but it is not. I have a technique of keeping my feet apart for a firm stand, hold my camera in what I believe is a horizontal position (without consideration of what is in the viewfinder), and then adjusting my composition. It´better than impulse-shooting. But sometimes I forget to do it, or have no time for it. Did anyone have pictures rejected for interpolation artifacts from straightening the horizon in Photoshop?</p>