Updated October 13, 2026
One of the simplest ways to take better photos is to hold your camera straight: keep buildings going up and down and bridges going side to side. A tilted photo makes the viewer feel seasick. I’m Katie Donnelly, a Paris photographer, and this one really gets to me.
What You’ll Find in This Blog:
That Tilted Commercial
The other day I was relaxing at home after a crazy day- Grilled chicken and avocado sandwich in hand for dinner, cat snuggling with me on the couch and I flip on the TV.
There it was again.
That Sensodyne commercial.
You know the one I’m talking about- You’re in a dentists office and they’re talking about 9 out of 10 dentists recommending Sensodyne for healthy gums. Oh yeah, and the camera is always tilted in a weird way so it looks like the dentist is about to fall off the earth.
I can’t stand it.
Every time I see the commercial I get angry. IT LOOKS BAD. Seriously, these guys are paying a lot of money for a commercial that looks like it’s straight out of the 80s and shot with the intention to make you sea sick.
I think to myself, “Why can’t they straighten the camera? WHY!?”
We all do it, not holding the camera straight by accident and then BOOM, buildings are more slanted than usual, but a whole commercial!?
Straighten Up Your Photos
Okay, enough of your rant Katie. What I’m trying to say is STRAIGHTEN UP. Your photos, that is.
Keep buildings going up and down and bridges going side to side in your photos.
Don’t make the viewer seasick… Or want to change the channel.
YES!
NO!
How to Keep Your Photos Straight
- Turn on the grid in your camera or phone and line the horizon up with it.
- Check the edges of the frame: buildings, door frames and lamp posts should be vertical.
- If it still comes out crooked, use the straighten tool when you edit.
PS just to say I love Sensodyne just not their commercials. We buy it all the time.
This lesson is part of The Authentic Portrait: A Parent’s Guide to Documenting Childhood, my photography guide for parents who want to learn the basics and take better photos of their kids, without spending hours and hours taking classes. I am working on a new edition of the guide. Until it is ready, you can read every lesson in The Authentic Portrait series.
Next lessons: the rule of thirds, the basics of composition and framing, and 10 common photo mistakes.
Always the one behind the camera?
Hand it over for a morning. Our English-speaking team photographs families in Paris, so you are in the photos too. Sessions start at €150, and you see your photos the same day in our Saint-Germain studio.
Or first see how a Paris photoshoot with us works.
Questions About Straightening Photos
You were not holding the camera level. It happens to all of us by accident, and buildings end up more slanted than usual.
Turn on the grid in your camera or phone and line up the horizon, or a building edge, with one of the lines.
Yes, most editing apps have a straighten tool, though you lose a little of the edges. It is better to get it straight in camera.
About the author
Katie Donnelly, Paris Photographer
Katie Donnelly is an American photographer who opened her Paris studio in 2013 and was voted Best Portrait Photographer in Paris in 2017. She and her English-speaking team photograph families, couples and solo travelers at sunrise, so visitors go home with relaxed, real portraits instead of rushed selfies. Meet Katie and the team.
Ready to Book Your Paris Photoshoot?
You take the everyday photos. Let us take the ones with you in them.
- When: Mornings, just after sunrise, when the city is quiet
- Who: Families, couples, engagements and proposals, and solo travelers, with an English-speaking team
- Your photos: Viewed the same day at our studio in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Session fee: From €150. Inquire for our full price list.
Tell us your dates and we will help you plan the rest.
Or first see how a Paris photoshoot with us works.
