Objective:  To define and show examples of the Rule of Thirds and how it will help you create better compositions in your photographs.

What is the Rule of Thirds?

The basic idea of the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking your image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. As follows.

With this in mind the rule of thirds now gives you four important places (the intersections) that you should consider placing points of interest in as you compose your shot.  In addition to the 4 intersections, you also have the lines that you can use to help you in placing objects.

Putting elements at these places helps your photo become more balanced.  It helps the viewer experience your image better and the shot feels more purposeful.  Studies have been done that show that people are naturally drawn to these points rather than the center of an image.  It is simply easier on the eye. 

 

Now, before we get to far into this, I need to say that I do place subjects at the center when it is visually the right thing to do.  You have to make that decision based on your subject.  I always encourage people to try shots in a variety of different ways so you can see (after the fact) which idea worked best.

Here is a shot that I took of an apple in the snow.  I placed the lines over it so you can see the intersections.

 

 Now, here is the image with the apple placed near an intersection.

 

 The 2 shots without the lines on them:

 

I always think that when this rule really works, what it does is make the image feel more artistic and less like a document of something.  I also really like open space in an image.  I think it helps out your eye and directs you to what the subject is.

 

Symmetry works nicely in certain images.  You can have symmetry and use the rule of thirds.  These images were taken from alongside the road in Crested Butte, CO.  This cemetery is so covered up in snow that only the tops of the monuments are sticking out.  I took this image is a few different ways.  The first 2 are my favorites and they are really symmetrical but still use the rule of thirds.

 

 These were some others in the series that I felt were less successful.  The key here it to try lots of different angles.  Using a variety of angles won't work well with subjects that are all over the place (your children).  It makes it much harder but you can certainly try!  I think thids little series illustrates how the framing & angle really changes the whole feel of an image.

 Here's another example.  I took these of my son playing on the floor.  I just had him scoot over for the second one.
 

 Here's another.  Darth Vader volunteered for this shot.  You may be noticing that I really like the lower left corner.

 

This evening, right before dinner, we had a really amazing little visitor outside our window.  It was a wild fox.  She just sat and watched us watching her.  It was beautiful.  Here she is using the same principles.  The first one is centered.

 

And then using the rule of thirds.

 

Framing your shots this way takes a little getting used to.  What I would like you to do, your homework, is to create some shots using this principle and placing elements in the "sweet spots".  Please post them here.  I'd love to see what you come up with!  Here's one more shot.  I took this this morning outside the house we are staying at.  These are some deer prints left during the night.