Rule of thirds photography is an easy composition guideline that photographers can use to determine where to position elements in the frame. Rather than always placing your subject in the middle of the shot, it can result in more well-balanced images.
It can add naturalness to portraits, interest to landscapes, and provide visual flow while still allowing for creativity.
This rule simply involves dividing an image into nine equal parts using two vertical and two horizontal lines. The four points where they cross are the four main intersection points where placing your subject close to any of these will produce a balanced image that is natural to look at.
The concept is to not have every photograph conform perfectly to a formula. However, rule of thirds composition will guide your initial consideration as to where in the frame you want your viewers' eyes to be drawn. This is one of the most practical compositional techniques in photography because it can be applied to many images.
A grid of thirds allows you to visualize where your subjects might be before even pressing the shutter. Nearly every smartphone and digital camera will have the option for a grid in the camera settings.
To leave more space around a person than in the center of a frame, in the same way, which can be the intersection in buildings, animals, vehicles, and other things. Use of the intersection is suited for crucial accents, such as the eyes of a person or of objects.
Learning how to use the rule of thirds in photography will be much more straightforward once you've established your subject. Determine what you want your audience to focus on and then bring your subject in line with the grid.
Easy steps to practice rule of thirds photography for beginners:
Turn on the grid in your camera.
Identify the main subject.
Position it near a third or intersection.
Check the surrounding empty space.
Capture a different angle by snapping a photo from a small distance away.
Compare the photographs afterward.
Using different versions of the same scene makes it clear that slight variations in position can change the entire picture.
This method is much simpler if you can see it happening in shots from real scenes. A figure walking along a road, a mountain in the foreground on one side of the shot, or a boat in the bottom third of the shot are easily understood examples.
Some practical rule of thirds photography examples include:
Street photography: compose someone off-center, leaving room in the direction they are walking.
Photography of nature: It doesn't have to be the center of the frame in the middle of nature! Place a tree, an animal, or a mountain at a joint instead of in the middle.
Travel photography: Keep an object to one side and use the other side to capture the setting.
Photographing your pet: Place the animal closer to one edge of the picture and leave open space in the direction they are facing.
And these are some more rule-of-thirds photography examples to prove that this rule can also work with your smartphone camera, and not only with professional devices.
Here’s how to use the rule of thirds for portraits and landscapes effectively:
The rule of thirds in portrait photography works in a strong way when the person is facing or even moving toward one side of the frame. Placing the eyes near an upper intersection point will direct the viewer's gaze.
Pay attention to eye direction while capturing a portrait to get the most out of using this rule. Providing extra space in front of a person's face can result in a photo with less clutter and will improve the flow.
Here’s how to use the rule of thirds for landscape photography; when there is a powerful foreground, horizon, or sky in a shot, you can use this principle. Rather than always framing the horizon in the middle, you can choose how much space to give either side.
As a rule of thumb to follow while photographing landscapes using this rule, position the horizon near the bottom one-third of the frame when you want to emphasize the sky. When you want to put the foreground more into the scene, position the horizon near the top third of the frame.
It is just as crucial to understand when you should break away from this rule to photograph as it is to know how to apply it. The rule is meant to help your photo, not the other way round.
Centering often does better with more symmetrical scenes. Symmetry is a common subject where an element of centered composition actually helps. Works like reflections, buildings, geometric objects, and symmetrical portraiture often combine well with this style of composition.
A centered subject will also have a more direct, more formal feeling. If the result of moving the subject toward a third is to make the photo weaker, then you are not obliged to follow the grid because it is there.
The rule of thirds is one technique among many in the realm of composition in photography. Once you feel good with it, look out for leading lines, framing, depth, negative space, perspective, light, and visual balance.
Another great practice is to take three shots of the same object - one in the centre of the frame, one using this rule, and one free. See which one does the best job of showing off your subject.
As you practice, you may begin to see ideal locations without the rule of thirds grid. While you shouldn't try to utilize this rule in every photo, you should be able to determine when it is effective.
The rule of thirds helps you think about how to frame a shot and where the subject should sit in an image. It helps beginners grasp the idea more easily because of the grid overlaying the shot.
As you get more confident in your photography, combine the rule with other composition tools or take a break from it.
It is effective for positioning key features of a shot within the frame. It can help photographers avoid placing the subject dead centre, use negative space, and draw the viewer's eye to the focus.
Enable the grid on your camera and locate your main subject, then compose it near a grid line or intersection. Finally, review the space around your subject and recompose if needed.
If you're following this rule in a portrait, place the eyes close to an intersection and take note of which way the individual is looking. An area of positive space in front of the face can create a comfortable portrait.
To use this rule as a guideline for shooting landscapes, determine whether you want to emphasize the sky or foreground. If you do want to give the sky more room, then position the horizon near the lower third of the image.
Breaking this rule in photography is totally acceptable when another composition makes more sense. Having symmetrical architecture, reflections, centered portraits, or a lack of narrative will often add weight to the choice to put your subject on the right.
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