Format and horizon

The first decision on every page is the shape of the paper and where the horizon goes. A landscape format with a low horizon makes a sky picture; with a high horizon, a ground picture full of fields and buildings. A portrait format suits a single tall subject: a tower, a tree, a street. Decide which by asking what the picture is about, and give that thing the most room.

The horizon never goes across the middle. A page cut in half is static and the eye does not know which half matters. A third of the way up or down is the usual answer and it is usual because it works.

Use the viewfinder (two L-shaped cards) to try formats before you commit. Slide it taller, wider, closer. The right crop often removes half of what you thought was the subject.