Euler angles is a mathematical term describing direction and orientation (but not position) in space. In a physics or mathematics class, you might first encounter this concept when studying a spinning top. But there’s a much easier way to think about Euler (pronounced “oiler”) angles: the attitude of an airplane in flight can be described in terms of
- Pitch – direction of tilt (up and down). Said differently, this is the direction the airplane is pointing in the vertical plane.
- Yaw – direction (side to side) the airplane points. Said differently, this is the direction the airplane points in the horizontal plane.
- Roll – direction the airplane turns (or “leans”) around the axis along which it is moving.
Okay, so what’s the deal with all this math stuff? I studied mathematics in college, and mathematics and physics both remain strong interests of mine. Honestly, I don’t know how often this blog will touch on science and technology, but I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t do so fairly often. But it is also (even primarily) a photography blog. Euler angles are a metaphor for perspective or point of view. When you hold a camera, you may tilt it up or down, point it to the right or left, or even turn it a bit, depending on what it is to wish to photograph. How you hold the camera gives you a particular direction of view (set of Euler angles). Where you stand, your “point” of view, doesn’t mean much if you ignore the world around you! You need to pick up your camera and look outward, at something else: your subject.
