Tilting pictures: Recently I have been going through some of my photos…one thing I have noticed is a large percentage of my photos tilt to the right. That is slant down from left to...

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

Recently I have been going through some of my photos…one thing I have noticed is a large percentage of my photos tilt to the right. That is slant down from left to right. Not a lot, just enough to be annoying.

Does anyone else have this problem. Is there a reason this happens so often. When I am looking thru the viewfinder I don’t notice the tilt.

What are your thoughts on this

Chuck

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

charlienow wrote:

Recently I have been going through some of my photos…one thing I have noticed is a large percentage of my photos tilt to the right. That is slant down from left to right. Not a lot, just enough to be annoying.

Does anyone else have this problem. Is there a reason this happens so often. When I am looking thru the viewfinder I don’t notice the tilt.

What are your thoughts on this

Chuck

Yes.
Correct in PP.

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

Architect1776 wrote:

Yes.
Correct in PP.

I do. I’m just wondering why it happens so much. And am I the only one with this problem.

I’m thinking it could be the way I release the shutter

Chuck

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Charlie, I've noticed that in some of my earlier photographs. I think it's simply anatomical. The human body may be most comfortable when holding a camera when it's slightly slanted.

The cure is simple. Now that you are aware of it happening, use the top or bottom of the viewfinder boundaries to align the camera with the horizon. If there are buildings in the frame, the right or left boundaries of the viewfinder will help align the verticals. Again, now that you are aware of the issue, it should be easy to solve.
--Bob

charlienow wrote:

Recently I have been going through some of my photos…one thing I have noticed is a large percentage of my photos tilt to the right. That is slant down from left to right. Not a lot, just enough to be annoying.

Does anyone else have this problem. Is there a reason this happens so often. When I am looking thru the viewfinder I don’t notice the tilt.

What are your thoughts on this

Chuck

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

rmalarz wrote:

Charlie, I've noticed that in some of my earlier p... (show quote)

Thanks Bob. I have been aware of the tilt but never realized there were so many. I’m headed to a river cruise and plan to make an effort at eliminating the tilt

Chuck

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Sometimes one's concentration on the "photo"/subject is so intense that one misses any shift in the horizon.
Happens to me occasionally.

Also, shorelines can give the illusion that the shot is tilted. All the trees/buildings can be plumb, and the shoreline looks out of wack because it either approaches or recedes from the camera. I'll adjust for best aesthetics.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

charlienow wrote:

I do. I’m just wondering why it happens so much. And am I the only one with this problem.

I’m thinking it could be the way I release the shutter

Chuck

You are not the only person with this problem. I think many have this problem including myself from time to time.

Dennis

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

You're welcome, Charlie. It's one of the easier issues to solve. 75% of the solution is realizing your contribution to the issue. The solution is quite simple after that.
--Bob

charlienow wrote:

Thanks Bob. I have been aware of the tilt but never realized there were so many. I’m headed to a river cruise and plan to make an effort at eliminating the tilt

Chuck

User ID

Architect1776 wrote:

Yes.
Correct in PP.

Same here.

For pix not made in a super hurry-up, I'll enable the artificial horizon. But get me in a rush and the tilt shows up.

I know this has something to do with the right hand shutter release and the grip and balance. Its not visual, its muscular. Leveling by eye on a tripod is no problem.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

charlienow wrote:

I do. I’m just wondering why it happens so much. And am I the only one with this problem.

I’m thinking it could be the way I release the shutter

Chuck

For me it is very difficult to hold a camera properly. I look all around to try to get horizontals and verticals straight but upon releasing the shutter there is a slight shift anyways at times.
Thus I do the best I can.
For you it could be some reason like not truly seeing the verticals and horizontals but mentally focused on the subject and not correcting

JD750 Loc: SoCal

charlienow wrote:

Recently I have been going through some of my photos…one thing I have noticed is a large percentage of my photos tilt to the right. That is slant down from left to right. Not a lot, just enough to be annoying.

Does anyone else have this problem. Is there a reason this happens so often. When I am looking thru the viewfinder I don’t notice the tilt.

What are your thoughts on this

Chuck

As noted above by rmalarz, it's normal and you can use the viewfinder as a level guide.

Some cameras have a non-intrusive level indicator that can be activated in the view screen. This will provide an accurate level indicator that also works in the absence of a defined horizon, and additionally, the in-camera sensors are two axis, which also helps with perspective distortion. Note that it's possible that even with the camera "bubble-level" correct, it is possible for horizontal lines to appear "tilted" due to the effects of the sensor plane being different from the plane of the scene.

ChuckMc Loc: Prescott, AZ

Chuck,
Some quick thoughts:
1- Yes, for us right-handed folk, it is natural to tilt to the right. Even though I'm aware of it, When I take a picture and am in a hurry... You get the picture. ;-}
2- This next point will not be that useful. Try to study your camera w/a monopod, tripod, or some stationary object. You say you're going on a river trip, love those, but having been there these are not usually available. Thus, as we're often hurried and concerned RE other aspects of our art, making the picture perfectly vertical/horizontal is the last item that I'm concerned about as it is very easy to correct in PP. Of course now I have over 1,000 pictures to PP.
3- You can look to the bottom of the frame and try to get the picture level w/that reference. Mo bettah da kine (used to live in Hawaii), is to have your camera to display a vertical and horizontal grid on your viewing screen. The grid is much easier to use than the frame' bottom. I use a thirds grid as that also helps in composition. However, for me, the grid's primary use is to get the correct alignment.
Chuck

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

charlienow wrote:

Recently I have been going through some of my photos…one thing I have noticed is a large percentage of my photos tilt to the right. That is slant down from left to right. Not a lot, just enough to be annoying.

Does anyone else have this problem. Is there a reason this happens so often. When I am looking thru the viewfinder I don’t notice the tilt.

What are your thoughts on this

Chuck

Is your shutter release on the right, most are and i think it is pressing on the release that contributes to the tilting.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

There's something to be said for shooting slightly wide then cropping in PP. If you have to correct a tilt it eats into the edges of the frame.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

letmedance wrote:

Is your shutter release on the right, most are and i think it is pressing on the release that contributes to the tilting.

I thought of that also, but "pressing" (instead of squeezing) a shutter button on the right will either tilt the whole camera down a bit or just the right-hand side. If the right-hand side of the camera goes down, the horizon will be tilted up on the right, not down.