Beginners instinctively place the horizon dead central in the viewfinder. The rule/idea/concept/guideline of not placing it so is one of the first things they are taught. "Place it on the top or bottom 1/3rd" (rule of thirds) is a good starting point. ..
What's important is that they learn why it is worth moving it rather than where to place it. There's a lot of issues around this, centering faces, etc etc where the usual advice is the blind "rule" rather than an explanation of why the image conveys differently with a shift of the horizon. And this is the problem I have with "critique" that states whether or not one follows the "rules" - that it has nothing to do with whether or not the image works. If, for example, a centered subject makes the image static, then the issue with the image is not a centered subject but an image that is static because the subject is centered. It's important to understand that some images may work because a static image conveys the right message and the centering is valuable.
And that is where the "critique" by the "rules" ends up failing totally. It says nothing about the image itself. It ignores the possible meanings, interpretations, appearances of the image. If the images fails because of improper placement, and in fact the image would be improved by a different placement, then that should be pointed out. But pointing out that the horizon is centered or that the image doesn't have a Golden Sections placement is meaningless as a comment by itself. (This also ignores the fact that there can be different interpretations of what the subject is, as Jim Davis pointed out in his response.)
There is, as someone pointed out, a lack of consistent guidelines for critiques here, which is what makes it more like comments than critique. I think that's fine, it gives some other ways of looking at photos. However, that doesn't mean the criteria that someone uses shouldn't be challenged, as every "critique" reflects the critiquer as much as the photograph.
Jeff Spirer Photos: http://www.spirer.com One People: http://www.onepeople.com/ Surfaces and Marks: http://www.withoutgrass.com
