Lopsided Pictures

[FishPix]

I just came back from our vaction and after looking at my pictures on the computer, I'm annoyed. I wear glasses and I have a really good eye. Most of my architecture shots came out slightly lopsided (all the same direction with the left side slightly hanging down). I assume it's the glasses and I paid extra special attention when I took the pictures. I still have to correct a lot of them in Adobe. Any tips?

[Jamie Holladay]

You can straighten them CS3 a couple of ways. If you shot raw that is the best way to do it. There is a tool that looks like a < sign just a little flatter. You can also do it in regular photoshop if you didn't shoot raw. It is under distort > lens correction. You can straighten, correct barrel distortion and that other thing where you fix the building being wider at the top/bottom and narrower on the other end. (the tool name escapes me at the moment). Hope that helps.

[FishPix]

Thanks, I will try that. Also any tips to avoid this problem alltogether? Or do I just have to live with it?

[Hermeto]

Get yourself focusing screen with etched RoT lines.
It helps tremendously..

[Doug Pardee]

Most of my architecture shots came out slightly lopsided (all the same direction with the left side slightly hanging down). I assume it's the glasses and I paid extra special attention when I took the pictures.

Make some tests.

1) Mount the camera on a tripod, and level it with a level placed on the hotshoe. Point it at something that is also level (use your level to verify it).

2) Look through the viewfinder. Does the subject look level in the viewfinder? If not, the viewfinder is off. Mine is off by a couple of degrees, and the direction that it's off is different between landscape and portrait orientations. This leads me to believe that the problem is that the mirror is "sagging" a bit.

3) Photograph the level subject. Examine the resulting photos. If the photos are level (no reason to expect otherwise, really) you know that the sensor and such are in straight.

In the end, whether it's a slanted viewfinder or just how you hold the camera, you need to learn to compensate for it. It takes some practice. Fortunately, you can often use the LCD display to give you quick feedback during your practice.

[ed rader]

Thanks, I will try that. Also any tips to avoid this problem alltogether? Or do I just have to live with it?


unless you use a tripod and a level you'll probably have to live with it.

my pictures fall to the right, usually about 1 degree.

i crop everything so it's usually no big deal for me :D.

ed rader

[casaaviocar]

I have a general tendency to be about a degree low to the left. Unless I concentrate when I am taking the photo, it will lean a bit.

[ed rader]

I have a general tendency to be about a degree low to the left. Unless I concentrate when I am taking the photo, it will lean a bit.


a rather delicate question but my pictures falling to the right is opposite to that other angle (dangle) ..............

how about you :D?

ed rader

[FishPix]

Thanks Doug I will try this. Those focusing lines are great. I have those on my camcorder. Thank you all. Makes me feel better. Mine lean to the left mostly 0.3 degrees. Looks like I'm just too picky. Probably no one else but me will spot this.