Buick – © John Neel

I just want to have you consider one thing about horizon lines. They don’t always have to be perfectly straight or perfectly level.

In real life, the eyes are not always level with the horizon. The view is not always that of the rule of thirds. The Golden Mean is a standard that strays away from reality. Straight lines and perfect composition don’t tell all the stories that photography can tell. All the don’ts are the stories of life as well.

It can be useful to break any of the so called rules. There are many angles that we see the world. Including as a kid for example, when we often see the world upside down, inside out or lying on our backs. Kids are great at helping us see the whole picture. Kids are free to see the world from any perspective. We should be able to do that as well.

The horizon line is a far off curve that we use as a point of reference. It tells us when we are right side up. But it can also be useful to give us a clue as to when we are not. It can be the thing that makes the image more suitable for the subject/action. Skewing it can have a positive effect such as creating a sense of falling, indicate the rocking of a boat, or perhaps emphasize the action of a moving object.

In photography, there is only one rule that needs our full attention. The images we create need to skillfully express what they need to express.

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