Avoid Converging Verticals

GudniB · July 7, 2006

Hi

Does anyone have any tips for avoiding converging verticals (or at least minimizing the effect) without having to splash out on a perspective control lens?

Although I obviously use a digital camera I am keen to limit the amount of post capture processing I have to do.

gus · July 7, 2006

GudniB wrote:

Hi

Does anyone have any tips for avoiding converging verticals (or at least minimizing the effect) without having to splash out on a perspective control lens?

Although I obviously use a digital camera I am keen to limit the amount of post capture processing I have to do.

This can be fixed quite well in Photo Shop...have you got it & if so..what version ?

Shay Stephens · July 7, 2006

Gus, he said he doesn't want to use photoshop. And so my suggestion is don't. The convergence is a natural photographic phenomonon. Why do we have to make everything so sanitized. Let them converge I say. Let them converge!

Imperfection can be quite eye catching and interesting I think. But it tends to drive the obsessive-compulsives out there crazy

wxwax · July 7, 2006

I agree with Shay, I've always liked the look and rarely been motivated to correct it.

Nikolai · July 7, 2006

Well,

Shay Stephens wrote:

Gus, he said he doesn't want to use photoshop. And so my suggestion is don't. The convergence is a natural photographic phenomonon. Why do we have to make everything so sanitized. Let them converge I say. Let them converge!

While I agree with what Shay and Sid said, since you asked a direct question...

You don't want the convergence, you don't want to use a shift lens and you don't want to correct the convergence in post.

The only way I know of how to get what you want is to get a lens approximately twice as wide as you would otherwise, go portrait, ensure that your camera is strictly horizontal - and later lose the bottom half of the shot, resulting in a 50% smaller landscapish image.

HTH

GudniB · July 10, 2006

Guys

Thanks for the advice.

In my opinion converging verticals are acceptable on taller buildings where they act to exaggerate the height.

Generally though I would like to minimize the effect. I except that in most cases it's almost impossible (and not necessary) to avoid.

Thanks again.

ziggy53 · July 10, 2006

The problem is more evident with a wider lens. The further back from the base of the object, and the closer to the middle of the height of the object, there will be less visible convergence.

So use a very long lens at distance and a ladder to stand on equal to half the height of the object.

While I realize this isn't always possible, that's another question entirely.

(In "olden days", with optical printing, you could just tilt the print board and use a smaller aperture on the enlarger lens. See how "digital" complicates everything?

I suggest you all send your digital cameras to me for proper disposal, while you all go back to film cameras and "silver" prints.

)

ziggy53

Stan · July 10, 2006

ziggy53 wrote:

I suggest you all send your digital cameras to me for proper disposal, while you all go back to film cameras and "silver" prints.)

ziggy53

rofl

Likewise for anyone in Europe (Save postage)

Stan

Stan · July 10, 2006

And that goes for any L (Learner Glass)

Stan

Avoid Converging Verticals

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