The Horizon Line
Lesson 44 from: Mastering Photographic Composition and Visual StorytellingChris Weston
The Horizon Line
Lesson 44 from: Mastering Photographic Composition and Visual StorytellingChris Weston
Lessons
Your 10,001st Photograph
03:24 2Camera Gear
03:03 3Piece of Gear We Always Forget
03:47 4Be a Storyteller
03:09 5Finding Ideas For Photography - Know Your Subject
06:59 6Cae Study - Why Are Zebras Black and White Striped
01:30 7Photograph What You Love
02:00 8See the Extraordinary in Ordinary Things
01:31Have an Opinion
01:46 10See With a Child’s Eyes
02:34 11Tell Your Story
08:46 12Find a Needle in the Haystack
01:38 13Lions Hunting Under Star Trails
04:21 14Ansel Adams and Visualisation in Practice
03:20 15Keeping an Open Mind and Thinking on Your Feet
02:47 16Case Study - The Maternal Bond
02:42 17Don’t Tell the Same Old Story
02:38 18Relevance
01:06 19#1 Reason Photographs Fail
02:57 20Getting Rid of Clutter
03:59 21Post Capture Cropping
02:04 22The Elements of Design
02:31 23Elements of Design
01:38 24Elements of Design - Shape
02:21 25Case Study - Shape
02:11 26Elements of Design - Color
01:55 27Case Study - Color
01:50 28Color in Camera
01:42 29Pattern
01:54 30Texture
02:24 31Seeing The Elements of Design
08:52 32Gestalt Theory
05:10 33Case Study - Cove
01:36 34Case Study - Hat
02:09 35Light and Contrast
01:54 36Light and Form
01:26 37Light and Depth
03:48 38Perspective
02:28 39Lenses and Perspective
02:47 40Rule of Thirds
02:48 41Centre of Frame
01:36 42Case Study - Positioning the Subject
01:48 43Positioning the Subject - Dynamic Symmetry
03:20 44The Horizon Line
02:52 45Should the Horizon Line Always be Straight and Level
02:13 46Other Lines
04:57 47Rhythm, Balance, and Visual Weight
02:59 48Negative Space
02:29 49The Two Most Important Controls on Your Camera
03:41 50Training the Mind
04:26Lesson Info
The Horizon Line
The Horizon Line is one of the most important compositional elements in a photograph, whether it's an implied line or the actual horizon. At its simplest, it determines eye level now, controlling eye level influences how the viewer relates to the photograph in two ways. First of all, it's shifts emphasis with a low horizon, the eyes of forced look upwards, accentuating the visual elements above the line. For example, in this image, I've placed the horizon in the bottom of the frame toe, emphasize the spectacular sky. When the horizon line is placed high in the frame, it forces the ice to gaze downwards on objects below, the liner emphasized. This is a useful technique for scenes where, for example, the sky is banal because it draws the eye away from the blandness on directs attention onto interest in the foreground. When the horizon line is positioned exactly half way, there's equal weighting have applied this technique in this image, which helps to accentuate the mirroring effect of t...
he water surface. Theo extent, it becomes almost impossible to tell which half Israel on which half is the reflection. I level also affects us psychologically. Dude way psychoanalytical theory known as the adult child relationship. Adults look down towards a child, and they are the dominant party in that relationship, while Children look up adults, making them the subservient participant. Now in adult adult relationship, where both parties are at the same eye level, neither is dominant nor submissive. Instead, the relationship is one of equality, and this psychology spills over into composition on. Beyond directing, our gaze determines the emotional relationship formed twin, the subject on the viewer. For example, if I compose an image from the high eye level looking down on the subject, the viewer becomes the dominant party in the relationship and assumes power over the subject. By changing to a low I level shooting up the subject. The relationship reverses the subject, becomes the dominant party and takes with its superiority. If I change my level again this time so that subject and viewer I toe I neither party dominates and the relationship is one of equality. This is the reason that when photographing my specialist subject wildlife, I almost always shoot. I level. When I want to add visual tension, I might drop eye level to emphasize the animals Dominion. Rarely do I ever give power to the viewer because it makes for a less compelling image. Now none of these impressions are wrong or right. It depends entirely on your story. As the author, you have to decide on the character of your subjects and use eye level to reveal it to your audience.
Ratings and Reviews
Edmund Cheung
Perhaps the style of presentation and simple, short, and direct messaging does not "jive" with some; but others may really love this. Yes the production of each episode is stylized and perhaps a bit formal (like a TV Show?), but there is something to be said about it. Perhaps this is not meant for professional photographers? I think of myself as decent amateur / high level photographer. I found lots of great nuggets of wisdom and inspiration from this. Especially when I an in a rut for creativity. Yes I have heard all these concepts and ideas before. BUT it is always great to hear and see a different way of presentation and voice. Please do NOT take the naysayer reviews as the end all. You should judge for yourself and watch a few episodes. If the style and content click for you, I would highly recommend this course.
Kai Atherton
While I am perhaps more advanced in my photography then this course. It is always great to be able to go back to fundamentals and remind ourselves of the basic principles, and even camera function. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and Chris's other. It is a great motivational jumpstart when lacking fresh creative idea's.
Abdullah Alahmari
Thanks a lot to mr. Chris Weston This course is great and It is a 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 course for me. Beside the other course ( mastering the art of photography ) both courses are Complementing to each other and highly recommended.