Basic rules of thirds in photography

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

It turns out that a professional camera is not yet a guarantee of high-quality photography. It turns out that "Photoshop" is sometimes not enough to correct errors when shooting. It becomes known that the work of a photographer is no less easy than any other, as it requires a huge amount of knowledge, skills and abilities. The Rule of Thirds in photography is just one aspect, but every self-respecting photographer must consider them. What are they and how to use them correctly?

A little about…

The rules of thirds in photography are part of the basics of composition. This is a kind of golden ratio of photography.

As an important element, the rule of thirds in photography, examples of which will be discussed below, is applicable to almost any chosen genre. It is well suited for both portrait and landscape photography. This makes it an all-round weapon for hitting a top ten target.

Should I blindly follow?

Definitely not. Strict and strict adherence to the rules does not lead to good in art, but the rule of three thirds in photography can always be a starting point.to create a masterpiece.

And in order to use it correctly, you need to properly understand what it is, what advantages it gives to the creator, what makes it attractive and how it achieves the very perfect balance that any photo artist strives for.

Balance in everything

Balance is what is everywhere in nature. Everything natural strives for balance, therefore it should also be achieved in the artificial. Ultimately, everything that a person does is just a reflection of what is already in nature. He draws his ideas from her, she is his best assistant and adviser.

The term "photo artist" has already been used a little higher. Everything is clear from the photo, but why is such a second half of this definition chosen? Well, the photographer, in a sense, is also an artist, holding a well-known tool in his hand instead of a brush. To get a good result, it is not enough for him just to press the shutter button and capture the moment: before that, he should evaluate the composition of the future frame. It is a pity that not everyone understands this, but nevertheless it is so.

What is composition?

Roughly speaking, the composition is a whole set of various techniques that help to place objects correctly. The correct arrangement will allow individual particles to gather into a whole picture, which, in fact, will be pleasant to look at. The rule of thirds is the main component of the composition, along with the rule of the golden ratio, the rules of diagonals and so on.

Essentially, the rule of thirds is a simplified version of the golden ratio. The original version uses more complicated calculations, closely related to Fibonacci numbers. The golden ratio is one of the principles that any photo artist should also know, but this article is about thirds.

What is the rule of thirds?

Mental division of the image into nine parts (3 x 3 - three vertically, the same number horizontally), moreover, they must be equal, - this is the description of the rule of thirds. It is important in photography. The division described is a grid of two horizontal and vertical lines. Objects should be placed at or along their intersections.

What's the idea?

When using this principle, usually the rule of thirds, the photo becomes more pleasing to the eye and more natural, because its important elements are not located right in the middle of the frame. It also gives more room for imagination and fantasy.

The photograph does not change drastically, but the importance of the subject is given. What is it based on? When a person looks at the picture as a whole in reality, focusing on one thing, he at the same time needs that the surrounding elements do not interfere, but are combined with the object. Of course, such a description is not suitable for a momentary glance, but a long look into the distance suggests just that. The task of the photographer is to express what the viewer should pay attention to (what needed to be focused on will be focused on the frame, becauseyou can no longer use the focus of your own eye on the final result). In this case, putting the object right in the center, which comes to mind first, is a very rough solution to the problem and, as already mentioned above, very unnatural, like a lie sewn with white thread.

How can I use it?

You should mentally imagine a grid, highlight the important elements of the future frame and place them near the lines. It is worth remembering that there may not be a perfect match, but an approximate one must be achieved. The grid is the reference component for the survey. This is art, and therefore there can be no "exactly at the point". You can "play" with the lines, arrange the composition as you wish. If time and technique allow, you can take several different shots to compare the result and see the difference. Without understanding the idea itself, nothing will come of it, and blind adherence will lead to the fact that all photographs will be taken as if according to one pattern. But that's the beauty of the rule of thirds in photography: it's so simple, so versatile, and at the same time gives you so many ways to use it. Everything ingenious is simple. The same comparison with nature: it is like a sunset, the beauty of which is so undeniable that a person has been admiring it for thousands of years, and it is different every day. But let's get back to reality from metaphors.

Maybe the shooting position will have to change. It's nothing. A measured and thoughtful approach to photography is a great habit. Yes, modernthe technique allows you to “click” up to a hundred frames in a minute, but at such moments it will be very useful to remember the photographers who worked with film, when each frame was incredibly valuable, and you had to calculate its parameters at random, never knowing what would happen in the end, and will it work at all.

To help the photographer

Manufacturers of some cameras stand up for their users by adding the ability to turn on and substitute the grid to the device. This is a visual representation, and a photographer can master the rule of thirds in photography without imagining the lines mentally.

By the way, an interesting fact: the rule is common as the principle of three-thirds. This is not entirely true. In fact, this is the two-thirds rule in photography. But it doesn't matter what you call it, what matters is how you apply it. The following tips for each type of photo will help.

Where to apply: tips

As mentioned above, versatility is the rule of thirds. Portrait or landscape, or macro photography, or moving subjects - it applies everywhere.

For a landscape, it is better to place the horizon along one of the grid lines, and not in the middle, so as not to create the feeling of splitting the photo frame into two equal halves. The object in the foreground sets the focus point, and it should also be placed in accordance with the principle of the rule. If the object is large, it is better to move it to the side so that it does not break the picture in two.

When a person looks at a portrait, he always pays attention to the eyes of the man (or woman, child, etc.) depicted in the photo. Therefore, the focus mustbe exactly on them, and it is best to place them on the upper horizontal line of the grid.

For a moving object, it is good to leave space on the side that is the direction of movement.

When shooting a person in full growth, it would be nice to put him along one of the vertical lines of the grid.

Point power

Despite the fact that the very principle of the rule is based on an equal division, it is known that the effect of the lower right point is stronger than that of the lower left. This means that if the photo has several objects, then the most important of them should be located near the first named intersection.

Cropping as a way to improve photography

People are used to cropping photos to remove unnecessary details from the overall picture. Masters remove them in Photoshop with their secret tricks, because cropping (the same cropping, in fact) gives an advantage in another way. After all, thanks to him, you can make the frame inherit the rule of thirds. Photoshop or some other photo-editing program can improve the overall picture in this simple way by moving the subject to a more appropriate place according to the rule.

Rules are made to be broken

And the rule of thirds is no exception. Yes, it is the basis of the composition, but if you feel it, this very composition, intuitively, then violating the principle described above, you can get something interesting, perhaps even brighter and more expressive than it would have happened with it. no one to experimentforbade! It's even useful.

But here's the thing: to break a rule to your advantage, you must first learn to follow it.