Need tips on squaring camera

[Henry Ambrose]

I walk around without a camera and find the spot to stand. When I get there I look at the subject carefully. I move steps to the side or back or forward and find "the" spot. At least that's what I consider it until I get the camera out.

Then with the camera "zeroed out" and with a gridded screen I just look at the image in the camera. Its right there -- so look at it. Study it. Now study it a bit more to be sure. Use the lines, that's what they're there for. Don't get lazy, move the camera until you are done.

If you're having a bad time, follow Christopher Broadbent's string method. Once you are near plumb and center of the subject building it gets easier.

Please note that you will rarely find a building that is perfectly square.

When the subject lacks perfection you might stand somewhere else. This especially when you have a series of surfaces or openings that aren't quite planar. Pick a place to stand that makes this obvious. A faint variation or slight misalignment most often looks wrong. Which I suppose is the subject of this thread.

[gevalia]

Buy a small carpenters level at a hardware or lumber store.

Yeah, got a small 6" level at home depot. I think they call the type a "submarine level". Anyway, I carry it all the time. My Chamonix has small levels on its standards but the fluid is very viscous and takes forever to move. The level I bought is cheap and works great.