I shared a draft of a book project with a friend of mine and she commented that she’d get rid of the photos with angled compositions. This intrigued me, as this is a composition that I often use, but on reflection, I can understand why some people don’t like it.

Traditionally, it’s said that tilted compositions are more dynamic, and for that reason, they should be use with care as not every situation will suit them. Take care with landscapes, as a slight tilt can look plain weird, especially if the horizon goes slightly off the horizontal. If you’re going to tilt deliberately, make it a substantial tilt. It also helps if there is a lot of depth in the scene anyway.

I find that I tend to use them if there is strong foreground interest or for close-ups, especially abstracts.

The following were taken with a super wide angle Sigma 10-20, and the perspective distortion that this lens gives allows great scope for tilted compositions

Chatterley Whitfield Colliery

Fletchers Paper Mill

Edenwood Mill

Hong Kong.