Rule of thirds is one of the most important rules professional photographers follow. It is basically a guideline for composition, which suggests placing the subject on the right or left a third of the frame by leaving two-thirds of the rest open. In fact, there are a lot of other composition forms too, but the rule of thirds is found to be a very compelling composition for amazing photographs. If you are dividing the viewfinder into nine square zones with vertical and horizontal lines, which is called a grid, you can easily understand this concept. Most of the cameras, including the mobile cameras, now have the rule of thirds grid option.
The corners and the central square with common intersection points of the grid are the positions where you will place the focal points. Doing this will let you properly balance the subject with a negative at it offers an effective composition for your photos which will catch attention.
Advice from Bruce Weber on the rule of thirds
As we find it, practical and repetitious usage of rules of thirds will be the ideal approach to hone your photography skills. Bruce Weber states that even though you start with the physical grid lines visible on the viewfinder, at a specific point in time, those lines and intersections of the lines will be engraved in the photographer’s brain itself. Until then,
1. Prices with the grid – Beginners may always turn the grid lines on until you eventually get the right feel about it
2. Have a field trip for rules ofthirds– You may plan for a rule-of-thirds photography field trip. Visiting a park or a picturesque location where you can capture many subjects will be ideal.
3. Take good pictures by following the rule-of-thirds – Strictly adhere to the rule-of-third and critically evaluate how did it work in your photographs. You may take the assistance of a professional photographer too if you don’t know how to judge it well.
4. Keep your focus right – You need to choose the ideal point to focus on. Professionals suggest focusing on eyes, especially for human or animal subjects.
Breaking rules of thirds
It is sure that the rule of thirds has many advantages in terms of the aesthetic and feel of your photography, but it not any hard-and-fast rules to be followed. You can always move away from it to go for better composition as you feel it. There are a few standard examples where you can bypass the rule-of-thirds.
- When the parts of any image aren’t fully on the frame, or if the subject is largely in the foreground, then you can simply throw away the rules of thirds.
- If the subject is only a very little part of the whole frame, the best way to forecast it may be to avoid third rulesand put the subject right at the center of the image.
- It is said that composing the photos in the shape of a Z letter will give a great flow as this is how people look at the pages.
Whatever mode you consider, Bruce Weber suggests that you take more than one shot of the same subject with the subject at the center, upper right, upper left, etc. Even when you think you are getting it right at the very first click, sometimes you may have better alternatives on the second or third.