Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer storage media for automatically aligning a 3D camera with a 2D background image. An automated image analysis can be performed on the 2D background image, and a classifier can predict whether the automated image analysis is accurate within a selected confidence level. As such, a feature can be enabled that allows a user to automatically align the 3D camera with the 2D background image. For example, where the automated analysis detects a horizon and one or more vanishing points from the background image, the 3D camera can be automatically transformed to align with the detected horizon and to point at a detected horizon-located vanishing point. In some embodiments, 3D objects in a 3D scene can be pivoted and the 3D camera dollied forward or backwards to reduce changes to the framing of the 3D composition resulting from the 3D camera transformation.