Diagonal Horizon - Good or Bad?

[JohnPeter]

Thanks @JeroenM for sharing this useful information and tool

[JeroenM]

Thank you very much, @Christina-NYC, for clarifying the matter and confirming my instincts.  😉

Many Local Guides don't seem to be aware of this. I always reach out to those that I am in contact with and send them a link to the User Contribution policy, including the format specific ones.

But now, thanks to you, I can back up my advice when people doubt my interpretation and flag poor contributions with more confidence.

Keep up the good work.

[sonnyNg]

Hi @JeroenM,

Thanks for opening up such an interesting topic.

From my own point of view, in case a photo that may need to be tilted, I would use camera grid first to make the best possible proportion of the main subject of the photo itself.

As for the reason to tilt a photo, I would justify as to make the visualization in a way that can support my idea.

In this specific example, I would have needed to tilt almost to the limit, in order to represent in a post.

Caption: A photo from below of the roof of Prohodna cave, with two almond-shaped holes resembling eyes. (Local Guide @sonnyNg)

[IrrPavlova]

Thank you for the detailed and in-depth reviewed topic, @JeroenM.

As mentioned in the Maps User Contributed Content Policy "Contributions must be based on real experiences and information. Deliberately fake content, copied or stolen photos, off-topic reviews, defamatory language, personal attacks, and unnecessary or incorrect content are all in violation of our policy. If you see this behaviour, please report it."

My personal esthetical opinion is similar to yours and I also try not to tilt the horizon when shooting a landscape. Even so, I respect diverse understandings of tastes also I understand that not always the setting allows good composition and still as @Christina-NYC mentioned grids are always an available option.

[JeroenM]

Thank you @sonnyNg! Your photo is a PERFECT example that tilting is sometimes important in the storytelling. The name of the cave you photographed is all about the eyes and whilst the "eyes" in the cave may not have been perfectly aligned from where you were standing, it makes total sense that you portraited it in a manner that it did look like a set of eyes.

[JeroenM]

Thank you @IrrPavlova.

I totally agree that artists should have the freedom to express themselves and photography can be a very expressive way of storytelling. I also agree that there is no right or wrong when it comes to personal tastes.

One of the powers of photographers is to open our eyes to details or perspectives. Showing us things in a way that we had (perhaps) not noticed before.

But in my opinion, not all creative and artistic photos belong on Google Maps. Google Maps is a functional tool and thus the photos shared should reflect reality, in my personal opinion.

[JacquelineB]

Hi, dear Googlers,

i read Anna Dickson's post again.

A very educational post, that answers many questions.

But i have problems with one topic.

Why is it not allowed, to show the seasons on the photos?

The photographed objects remain the same!

I live in Germany, we have 4 pronounced seasons every year.

And if i now interpret it correctly, i'm only allowed to take photos in summer!

That would mean only 3 months a year!

Only 3 months! 😳

So i could not take photos in spring - to much blossoms!

I could not take photos in autumn - to much colourful leaves!

I could not take photos in winter - to much ice and snow!

I could not take photos, if in autumn and winter the sky is grey!

If in summer the sky is grey!

That would mean:

When could i take photos?

Here in Germany is always a season represented!

And the fewest time here's really good weather!

And in addition:

All that is nature!

It is like it is!

Always sunshine, blue sky and green leaves show Germany not like it is!

Our weather and our seasons are showing the world, like here she is!

So now in winter i could not contribute a half year no photos and videos to Google Maps!

That would be a pity, because then Maps would get much less photos of me!

Of course, an object must not be completely lost in snow for Google Maps so you can not recognize it, that's real, that would not make sence.

But if the object is completely recognizeable and there is only a bit snow or ice around it or on the roof, that can not be so damaging.

And if a few trees with colourful leaves stand around a building in autumn, it can not be worse, as if the leaves are green in summer.

There are many Local Guides of the middle and nord european countries and we all have seasons!

Please help us and clarify it! 💛

Warmest greetings, 😘

Jacky from Germany 

[IrrPavlova]

Hi, @JeroenM. Thanks for replying. The first and most important thing when choosing photos for Google Maps is to make them as informative and realistic as possible. People are going to look at them get orientated. Also, contributing is highly accessible in order to have as big as possible coverage around the world. A certain variety in the quality of the content can be expected.

In this line of thinking, there are bigger issues to be handled before we start chasing people for not using a grid for example. 😉

[sonnyNg]

Hi @JeroenM,

Thank you for the acknowledgement. 

The point is, we may have the freedom to express ourselves, it is important to follow the guidelines.

[JeroenM]

Hi Jacky,

Thank you for your response and for raising another topic for clarification in relation to taking photos in the right season. You are referring to the post How to Upload Great Photos to Google Maps by @AnnaDickson and your response raises some valid points.

You will find that other Local Guides have asked the same question about the right season in the comments of that article.  If you don't find your answer in the debate following that article, I advise you to join the conversation and post your question also there.

All the people that participated in the thread by @AnnaDickson shall be notified of your response so that the people already interested in that debate, can follow its development. 😉

Personally, I don't think that @AnnaDickson was telling us to only take pictures in the summer. What about POI like a ski resort? A picture taken in the summer would make little sense to show the "essence" of the place. A picture of a beach resort in the rain would also not "advertise" why people go there.

Many places are season neutral, so personally, I think there are always contribution opportunities for the photographers amongst us.  

Happy mapping!