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Fixing Your Perspective
Tonya DoughtyEditorial Deck Crewmember
This month we're headed to the lush beauty that is Venezuela and Trinidad. And when faced with such spectacular surroundings, nothing is more natural than trying to capture that scenery with your camera. Because landscapes are outside they usually have good lighting so most outdoor photos look great. However, one thing that can happen is your panoramic shots will not run parallel to the horizon, and, when captured in the rectangular frame that is your photograph, this discrepancy stands out and makes your photo seem "off-kilter." Luckily this is easily corrected! I will be using Adobe Photoshop CS, but you may be able to use other programs if you can crop or trim using non-square shapes.
1. Open the photo that you would like to correct. Here this scene trails noticeably down and to the left.
2. Select the crop tool and click the "Clear" button to clear any sizing constraints that may have been previously entered.
3. Look at your photo and decide which side you will consider "correct" (this can really be either side, depending on if you're planning to bring the low side UP or the high side DOWN. Either is fine.) In this case, I will use the far right edge of the row of white grass. It is a strong horizontal line and will be easy to see. I click on the top, right edge of the white grass and drag straight across to the left edge and then down to the bottom of the photo edge.
4. With this section selected, you will have an option called "Perspective" that, when checked, allows you to manipulate the nodes on your cropped selection individually. Check the Perspective box.
5. Now click with your cursor on the node that you will be moving and drag it (up or down depending on which you prefer) to follow the horizon line. In this example I am clicking on the left, uppermost node and dragging down so the dashed line of my selection follows as closely as possible to the visual horizon (the white grass in this photo.)
6. Hold the Shift key down, click and hold inside the selection and drag the selection box up until the highest point touches the top of the photo.
7. Click on the bottom, left hand node and drag down until you reach the bottom, left hand corner of the photo. Repeat with the bottom, right hand node (to the bottom, right hand corner of the photo.)
8. Now all you have to do is hit Enter to apply the crop. Because we angled the edge of the crop to match the incorrect horizon, the new "crop" will not only crop, but also straighten, the horizon.Extra Credit: This technique can also be used to straighten photos of buildings and skylines in which the tall buildings seem to lean. Can you fix the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Have fun and keep scrappin'!
Tonya Doughty
tonyadoughty@ssreflections.com
Editorial Deck Crewmember
S.S. Reflections, Inc.
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***Disclaimers - While individual techniques may vary, always follow product manufacturers' directions and cautions for safety and best results.
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