The decision over where to place the horizon line is often an easy one, especially when the sky is an ordinary cloudless dull blue color or gray and overcast. By the way, when the sky is gray, overcast, or simply a dull blue, I might use a tobacco-, gray-, or blue-colored graduated-color filter, as I did here. This image was taken in the lovely Bohemian town of Ĉeský Krumlov, in the Czech Republic. Setting up my camera with a graduated-blue filter, I photographed the scene you see here. Note my placement of the curving line of the small river and how it is used as the “dividing line” to separate the landscape below into a one-third/two-thirds division. Clearly, it was my choice to declare the right side of the frame as the winner. Note also the language of the curvilinear line: curvilinear lines are passive, restful, and gentle, and thanks to this meandering line of the river, the scene does indeed look passive, restful, and gentle.

Nikon D300S with Nikkor 18–55mm lens, f/16 for 1/60 sec., ISO 200