Photography Rules of Composition - Rule of Thirds
This is probably one of the most important photography rules of composition for framing a subject. By getting this right, all you images will look great, assuming you have selected the right shutter speed, focused properly etc. CamerasSome 35mm cameras have a specific focusing screen with the screen divided into thirds both horizontally and vertically (refer to the image below). I would highly recommend you invest in this focusing screen, as it will do a lot to improve your visual framing when you look thru the viewfinder. Some of the new digital cameras (including point and shoot cameras) have an optional parameter that you turn on to activate this very useful feature.Adobe PhotoshopProducts such as Adobe Photoshop CS2 have an option you can turn on that will automatically add these grid lines into the view of your image.To set this up in Photoshop:
The benefit of displaying these lines is you get to see how well you are applying that rule. If you have not followed that rule you can easily crop your image to see how you should have or could have taken the photograph. If you plan to do any work on your image in Photoshop such as working with the clone stamp tool, or the marquis tool, then I suggest you turn off the gridlines for the duration of that work. You can do this simply by:
How it Works Imagine the box above as your viewfinder and as you can see it is now divided into thirds. Using the example of shooting in landscape format, you would then place your horizon on one of the 2 horizontal lines. Never place your horizon in the middle of the picture unless you have an equally interesting foreground and sky. Ok, now lets say you have a subject, such as a boat, a person, or an animal that is moving from left to right in this photo. Then position your subject on or near the 1st vertical line to the left of the center. In the case of the subject moving from right to left, then place that subject near the 1st vertical line to the right of center. The important thing here is to give your image a “sense of direction”. Never place your subject right in the center of the photograph. If you are shooting in a vertical (portrait)format, i.e. where you have turned your camera on its end then the same rules apply. Fences, Rivers, Roads, Railway TracksThis photography rules of composition also applies when shooting fences, rivers, roads, and railway tracks as these should always enter and leave on the diagonal. By that I mean, a road entering the picture from the bottom left, should leave the picture by the upper right. Or enter from the lower right and leave by the upper left. Rarely should they enter and leave thru the center of the photograph. The purpose of setting up the image this way is to give your picture a sense of direction and it makes the viewer’s eye “travel thru the photograph”.Photography Rules of Composition ExamplesThe next 3 images are examples of good composition using the Rule of Thirds for landscape type of photography.
The next 2 images are examples of good composition using the Rule of Thirds for portrait type of photography.
These last 2 images are examples of where it is acceptable to not follow the rule of thirds and allowing the horizon to appear in the middle of the image.
If there is something about these photography rules of composition that you do not fully understand, please do not hesitate to Contact Us. Canadian Nature Photographer ArticleThere is an excellent article on composition you should view. The article covers these important aspects of composition:
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