Thoughts on tilting images

[John E Earley]

Could we have a thread on titling tilting images? I would start one, but I don't have any.

That's tempting.

 

[Sparrow]

Could we have a thread on titling tilting images? I would start one, but I don't have any.

... I feared it would go this way

 

[robert blu]

Sometimes I tilt my photos, but very rarely. To add an instability feel like here:

But most of time I prefer the stability of an horizontal horizon
robert

 

[lukitas]

So sadly you'll not care for this one either ... but then I expect you know how much I value your opinion


R0011859 par Sparrow ... Stewart Mcbride, on ipernity

I wish I was in front of that pub, with couple three tenners in my wallet, ready to step in and call a pint. mmmh.

 

[Richard G]

I am an obsessional untilter and vertical convergence corrector. I have to be more relaxed about the latter.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I feel the opposite. There is a reason for the tilt in the first pic.

When a horizon of water is involved, there had better be a really good/strong reason for a tilt, otherwise I find it unacceptable.

Dear Frank,

Water skiing...

Cheers,

R.

 

[Dralowid]

Never been able to get anything straight, ever...can't be me, must be the camera...

 

[Ronald M]

The hill does not bother me at all.

Twisting the camera is just a fad and one I particularly dislike.

 

[c.poulton]

I like naturally tilting images like yours -- pretty color palate too. 99.9 percent of the time I hate photographs that are deliberately tilted. Are the photographers drunk? To me, deliberate tilting is done when a photographer doesn't have, or can't find The shot. It's a gimmick, a contrivance, and to me, in my humble opinion is indicative of a photographer who doesn't have chops, or is having an off day. There, I said it.

Dan, Ronald, are are there not exceptions?

For dramatic (architectural) effect:

Mole Antonelliana by Christian Poulton, on Flickr

For architectural (dramatic) effect:

Turin University by Christian Poulton, on Flickr

Simply a split second grab shot / from the hip:

Two Nuns by Christian Poulton, on Flickr

 

[Sparrow]

I wish I was in front of that pub, with couple three tenners in my wallet, ready to step in and call a pint. mmmh.

... they sell a pint'n pie for £3 at lunchtime, put tables out in the summer and sell even Belgium beer

PS ... yes the tables slope

 

[Michael Markey]

I am an obsessional untilter and vertical convergence corrector. I have to be more relaxed about the latter.

Same for me ... well as far as the tilting goes anyway.
I need to let them be.

 

[alistair.o]

Just a gentle example (I think):

 

[Sparrow]

 

[rwintle]

Hm. I find it hard to be dogmatic about this, but I do think if you're going to do it, then TILT that sucker. No wishy-washy "looks like I just got the horizon off a bit" tilts.

Being a motorsports shooter, I've seen (and, *ahem*, done) far too many of these. Tilty frame = looks faster, allegedly.


F1600 qualifying, CTMP by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

But generally speaking, I do prefer keeping verticals vertical and horizontals horizontal, letting the non-horizontal bits go where they want to:


Porsche 911 Targa by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

 

[oftheherd]

Some good photos in this thread, but this one really grabs me.

 

[burancap]

Some good photos in this thread, but this one really grabs me.

DITTO. Really excellent!

 

[daveleo]

Some good photos in this thread, but this one really grabs me.

Yes it's a great shot ! . . . and it begs the question . . . "Are verticals more important than horizontals?"

 

[Rob-F]

Thoughts on tilting images ...

My guess is that this photo was tilted inadvertently, rather than deliberately. I believe one often tends to try to level the camera by guiding off one edge or the other. In this case, I think the camera was "leveled" by guiding off the right edge, while overlooking the left. Then one edge is right, while the other (the left in this case) is tilted. The alternative would be to tilt the camera until the verticals at the left and right sides are angled the same. Then if there is enough room above or below, I will adjust the camera angle until the verticals are parallel to the frame edges, left and right. If not enough room above or below, I will either use a wider lens, or else out comes the 28mm or 35mm PC-Nikkor. In this case it looks like the camera was actually lowered below level, and needed to be raised.

I like to keep my verticals vertical, and let the horizontals fall where they may.

 

[Sparrow]

My guess is that this photo was tilted inadvertently, rather than deliberately. I believe one often tends to try to level the camera by guiding off one edge or the other. In this case, I think the camera was "leveled" by guiding off the right edge, while overlooking the left. Then one edge is right, while the other (the left in this case) is tilted. The alternative would be to tilt the camera until the verticals at the left and right sides are angled the same. Then if there is enough room above or below, I will adjust the camera angle until the verticals are parallel to the frame edges, left and right. If not enough room above or below, I will either use a wider lens, or else out comes the 28mm or 35mm PC-Nikkor. In this case it looks like the camera was actually lowered below level, and needed to be raised.

I like to keep my verticals vertical, and let the horizontals fall where they may.

... you do all that before the subjects get to the middle of the frame ... that's impressive

 

[lukitas]

Me too, I try my level best to keep everything on the straight and narrow, but sometimes I fumble, and sometimes...

m2, ultron 28 f2, Tri-x