Yes, the horizon (in most of your shots) should be straight, but it doesn’t have to be at the center. In fact, moving it up or down a bit can make your photo look more attractive.

Here’s an example where I kept the horizon at the top. Why? Because the ground with the sliding rock is more interesting than the sky.

Here, I kept it at the bottom, because the sky is way more interesting with the double rainbow. I wanted more of the sky and less of the ground.

Before taking a shot, always ask yourself, “who/what is the hero of my shot?” And then find a way to emphasize your hero. Moving the horizon up or down, away from the center, is one way to emphasize what’s interesting. Watch this video where I elaborate more on this.

Have a nice weekend!

Swami