Where you place the horizon is completely up to you, but you may want to keep in mind a number of factors.
One of the compositional rules regarding horizon is that it should never be placed in the centre of the frame, but positioned closer to a third. It’s true in most circumstances, because instead of creating a pleasing sense of balance, central horizon line actually tends to result in a boring, static image.
If you place the horizon not in the centre of the frame, you restore a feeling of stability.
When you consider the importance of different aspects of your photo, you try to find the balance between the sky and the ground.
You've surely heard about the rule of thirds and you often notice landscape photos with the horizon line roughly 1/3 from the top or 1/3 from the bottom of the frame.
But never be afraid to break this rule in a given situation, because by pushing the horizon just a bit further you can often create a better image. If you want the clouds to look more dramatic, leave only a hint of foreground in the frame. Make it 4/5 sky and 1/5 ground, so the attention is onto the more interesting sky.
1. A high horizon to emphasize the ground.
If you want the elements of the land to be the main areas of interest, include less sky. The high horizon is an obvious choice when the sky is particularly plain and uninteresting.
2. A low horizon to emphasize a majestic sky.
If you decide that the top half of the frame is more interesting than the bottom, you may want to adjust your composition so that the horizon is a lot lower in the frame. In this case you’ll capture the dramatic colors of the sunset or interesting formations of clouds. It means you’ll include less ground in your photo.
3. Horizon in the center of the frame for reflections.
As a reflection creates a mirror image (50 percent of the actual formation and 50 percent of the reflection), a centered horizon can work quite well. The horizon in the center creates repetition and symmetry.
There can be some other cases when the subject matter is reinforced by the central position of the horizon line.
4. No horizon.
If the sky doesn’t add anything to the scene in front of you, but would have pulled viewer’s attention away from the spectacular details of the landscape, leave it out and focus on the landscape.
Let the esthetics of the scene guide your decision.
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned!
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