TAOP - Part 1 - Exercise 7 - Positioning the Horizon

This blog post is in relation to the exercise on Page 39 of the OCA Photography 1 - TAOP course material.

 This exercise, in trying different positions for the horizon, is something that I think all photographers would do naturally anyway. It's certainly something that I tend to do when taking landscape photographs. As a way of demonstrating this I have included a series of photographs taken in the summer whilst on holiday on the south coast. This scene is the view from the deck of the Isle of White ferry as it returns to Lymington. It was early evening, shortly before sunset and the skyscape and light reflecting off the water had an amazing silvery quality.
Although none of the photos show the horizon at the extreme edge of the frame, I think the set has enough variety of position and composition to make some good comparisons between them. I think the horizon works best when it is off centre, as it gives an emphasis to either the water or the sky without overpowering the other side. When the horizon is central your attention is on neither sky or water and therefore kind of gets lost between the two.
Which one photo works the best over-all would probably depend on whether you find the clouds in the sky, or the light on the water more interesting. Personally I'm torn between photos 4 and 5, but if I had to choose one it would probably be photo 4 as I like the shape and contrast in the clouds, and there is more interest in the foreground water.
 
If the thumbnail links are missing, view full images on the Flicker set for this exercise

TAOP-Part1-Ex7-1

TAOP-Part1-Ex7-2

TAOP-Part1-Ex7-3

TAOP-Part1-Ex7-4

TAOP-Part1-Ex7-5

TAOP-Part1-Ex7-6

TAOP-Part1-Ex7-7