Objects & groups
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Parallel: shoot a row of things square on

Things already in a row. Line them up properly and shoot square to the line.

What it is

When things already stand in a row, the strongest picture usually shows that order clearly. Parallel asks you to straighten the row and face it squarely at eye level, so the objects sit on one line with even gaps and the edges of the frame run parallel to it. Repetition is satisfying to look at, and a clean row makes small differences between the items stand out. Shot at an angle, the same row turns into an overlapping jumble that hides the pattern.

When to use it

Bottles or jars lined up on a shelf
A row of beach huts, doors or houses across a street
Cups, shoes or tools set out along a counter

How to shoot it

Find three or more things in a row and stand facing it with the phone at eye level. This guide is for eye level only.
Camera Grid draws a straight, evenly spaced row of target circles, placed once from the scene.
If the objects are out of line, the coach says “Line them up”. Nudge them until the filled markers sit in the circles.
Keep the phone level and square to the row, zoomed around 1.5× to 3×, until the ring turns green with a tap.

Common mistakes

Standing at an angle to the row, so the far objects shrink and overlap.
Tilting the phone down, which makes a straight shelf look as if it slopes.
Leaving one item out of line, which the eye spots at once in a row.

Questions

How do you photograph objects in a row?

Set them on a straight line with even gaps, stand directly in front of the middle of the row, and hold the camera level at the objects' height. Leave a little space at each end. Camera Grid draws the row as a target and tells you when to line them up.

Does Parallel work from above?

No. Parallel is an eye-level guide, because facing the row is what keeps the line straight and the gaps even. When you tilt the phone down at a table, Camera Grid offers its table-top guides instead, which are built for that angle.