Photography Rule of Thirds

Far to often I see people look through their pictures only to be surprised by a shot that happens to look professional.  These are people that use their camera for everyday snapshots and don’t really think about things like composition and visual appeal.  They just want to capture the memory but once in a while the memory looks like something they’d want to frame.

Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone’s great shots didn’t have to come by accident?  It isn’t a far off thought because training the eye to pick up good composition isn’t that hard.  All anyone has to do is learn and follow the rule of thirds.

Picture a rectangle, the shape of a standard photo, and imagine there are two vertical lines dividing the rectangle into thirds.  Then imagine two horizontal lines doing the same.  The result is something that looks like a Tic-tac-toe game.

The idea is to place the subject of your photo strategically along this imaginary grid.  For instance, it is usually boring to look at a picture where the subject is dead center.  The rule of thirds tells us to put the focus of the subject where the imaginary lines intersect.  If you picture a red balloon floating against a blue sky you can easily see how this works.  Of all the places to “trap” that balloon within a photo frame, those intersecting lines are the most appealing.

The rule of thirds can also be applied to subjects that aren’t so easily narrowed in on.  In the case of landscape photos there is no single subject to zero in on, so it becomes important to look at the lines themselves.  In these cases it’s the horizon that often helps set the picture.  The rule of thirds tells us that one of the horizon should run along one of the imagined horizontal lines. 

If there is a tree in the landscape that you would like to use as the focus of the picture, it is usually more appealing if it is lined up with one of the vertical lines.  The same can be true for portraits of people.  If you look through magazines you’ll come across a lot of shots where there is a person standing one third of the way into the frame and looking towards the center.  It’s a simple way to compose a shot.

Look at some of your favorite pictures; ones that you took and ones that you found in books and online.  Draw the lines on these pictures and see how they line up.  Is the rule of thirds working in favor of these photos?  Most likely.  Once you have a good understanding of how it all works then try to take some more photos yourself.  After a while the rule of thirds will become second nature and you won’t even think about it. 

To make things easier though, some digital cameras actually offer a feature that lays a grid across the screen for you.  If your camera has this option it’s a wonderful way to make the rule of thirds a habit.

Don’t forget this one last important thing:  All rules can be broken.  Learn the rule of thirds and use it well.  Then once you are an expert play with it and find ways around it.  Sometimes pictures that intentionally break the rule can have an appeal all their own.    

If you hava an interest about this I would highly recommend that you check these E - Books:-

Digital Photography 4 The Creative Eye

Portrait Photography Guide - Top Selling Guide 

 The Complete Digital Slr Photography Guide

 Digital Photography Success.