Soliciting opinions/advice on photo

[Joe Copalman]

Again, not a bad shot at all - well-framed, conveys motion, etc.  Only thing I'd adjust is a slight (i.e. 0.25º or so) counter-clockwise rotation to bring the horizon level. 

Following Jay's example is a good way to go. 

[Chris Kennedy]

There isn't really a clear horizon there and the runway slopes down from east to west about the quarter of a degree you suggested. The buildings in the background can look sloped due to perspective. I usually try to go by verticals behind the subject when there isn't a true horizon in the image and the poles back there are pretty close to vertical. It's tricky. It would probably look better adjusted slightly anyway.

I have a tendency to tilt the camera slightly to the left, so I make use of straightening quite a bit. Is there any degradation of the image when you do that?

[Joe Copalman]

Sounds like you're on the yellow brick road - verticals are what I use too.  

Now that I look at it again, it's looks great.  

I struggle with the horizon thing as well - I'm typically within a 0.2º to 0.5º variance off being level, typically to the left like you, but there are times (especially when I'm barely clearing the fence) that I can tilt as much as 2.5º.  I've had to let some shots go because rotating it to make it levels means I have to crop off a pitot tube or a bit of the tail or something.  

Here's an example of a shot I was barely able to save by rotating, but even then, it's a bit too tight of a crop for my liking.


Initially I didn't think I was able to get it level, and that I had gotten it "good enough" while still being able to keep everything in-frame,  but the saguaro in the background seems to tell a different story.  Or it's just a crooked cactus.

[Jay Beckman]

Here is another one (quick crop, no other editing yet). Is this anywhere near what you would do?

That's exactly what I meant.  Obviously the deck angle indicates that the helo is accelerating toward camera left but leaving some room over there means it has somewhere to go!