The rule of thirds in frame composition. Composition Basics: Golden Ratio

It turns out that a professional camera is not the key to 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 rules of thirds in photography are just one aspect, but every self-respecting photographer must take them into account. What are they and how to use them correctly?

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The rules of thirds in photography come under It is a kind of photographic art.

As an important component, the rule of thirds in photography, examples of its use will be discussed below, is applicable to almost any chosen genre. It is well suited for both landscape and landscape painting. This makes it a versatile weapon for hitting high-quality targets straight to the top.

Is it worth following blindly?

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

And in order to use it correctly, you need to properly understand what it is, what advantages it gives the creator, what is its appeal and how with its help it achieves that ideal balance that any photographer strives for.

Balance in everything!

Balance is something that 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 already exists in nature. He draws his ideas from her, she is his best assistant and adviser.

The term “photo artist” was already used a little higher. Everything is clear from the photo, but why was this second half of this definition chosen? Well, a photographer, in a sense, is also an artist, holding a well-known instrument in his hand instead of a brush. To get a good result, it is not enough for him to simply press the shutter button and capture the moment: before that, he must 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, composition is a whole set of different techniques that help to correctly place objects. The correct arrangement will allow the individual particles to assemble 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 diagonals and so on.

Essentially, the rule of thirds is a simplified version of the golden ratio. The original version used more complex calculations, closely related to Fibonacci numbers. The golden ratio is one of the principles that any photographer must also know, but this article is about thirds.

What is the rule of thirds?

Mentally dividing the image into nine parts (3 x 3 - three vertically, a similar number horizontally), moreover, they must be equal - this is a description of the rule of thirds. It's important in photography. The division described is a grid of two horizontal and 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 directly in the middle of the frame. It also gives more space for imagination and fantasy.

The photograph does not change dramatically, but it adds significance to the subject. What is this 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 gaze into the distance suggests exactly this. The photographer's task is to express what the viewer should pay attention to (what should have been focused on will be focused on the frame, because using the focus of your own eye on the final result will no longer work). In this case, placing the object directly in the center, which comes to mind first, is a very crude solution to the problem and, as mentioned above, very unnatural, like a lie sewn with white thread.

How can it be used?

You should mentally imagine a grid, highlight 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 supporting component for shooting. This is art, and therefore there cannot be any “exactly on point”. You can “play” with the lines and arrange the composition at your discretion. If time and technique allow, you can take several different shots to compare the results and see the difference. Without understanding the idea itself, nothing will come of it, and blind adherence will lead to the fact that all the photographs will be taken as if according to the same pattern. But that's the beauty of the rule of thirds in photography: it's so simple, so universal, and yet gives you so many ways to use it. Everything ingenious is simple. The same comparison with nature: it’s like a sunset, the beauty of which is so undeniable that people have been admiring it for thousands of years, but it’s different every day. But from metaphors let's return to reality.

It may be necessary to change the position from which the photograph will be taken. It's nothing. Taking a balanced and thoughtful approach to photography is a great habit. Yes, modern technology 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 turn out in the end, and it will turn out at all.

Help for the photographer

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

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

As mentioned just above, versatility is the rule of thirds. Portrait or landscape, or macro photography, or moving objects - it is applicable 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 foreground object sets the focal point and should also be placed according to 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. That’s why the focus should be on them, and it’s best to place them on the top 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 photographing a person in full body, it is a good idea to position him along one of the vertical grid lines.

Power points

Despite the fact that the principle of the rule itself is based on equal division, it is known that the lower right point has a stronger impact than the lower left. This means that if a photograph has several objects, the most important one should be placed near the first named intersection.

Cropping as a way to improve your photography

Common people are accustomed to removing unnecessary details from the overall picture. Masters remove them in Photoshop using their secret techniques, since cropping (the same cropping, in essence) gives an advantage in a different way. After all, thanks to it, you can force the frame to inherit the rules of thirds. “Photoshop” or another can improve the overall picture in this simple way by moving the subject to a more suitable place in accordance with 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 by violating the principle described above, you can get something interesting, perhaps even brighter and more expressive than what would have happened with it. No one forbade experimenting! It's even useful.

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

Not long ago we talked about the golden ratio rule and how you can frame a photo after it has been taken. But when you're shooting, you're unlikely to have the time or opportunity to superimpose a Fibonacci spiral onto your photo. So master the rule of thirds to do nice pictures, as close as possible to the golden ratio rule.

Rule of thirds in photography

Mentally divide the photo with two horizontal lines and two vertical ones. Objects that you want to focus on in the frame should be placed at or along the intersection of these four lines. This rule works especially well during landscape photography.

This fairly simple rule will allow you to take successful pictures. The rule of thirds has been successfully applied in photography, drawing and design.

Moreover, if there is only one object in your photo, place it on the left side of the frame. The fact is that viewers have a habit of viewing images from left to right, which is developed by reading.

If there are several key subjects in the photo, place the dominant subject at the bottom right point. This frame layout takes into account the fact that a person best perceives information received at the beginning and end of viewing. Even news broadcasts are built on this principle, reviewing all the stories at the beginning of the program and leaving the most neutral story for the finale in order to soften the perception of negative news, of which the majority is present in the report.

It’s the same in photography: when looking at your photograph, a person will best perceive the latest information received. This point is especially important to consider when photographing images with emotional overtones.

Rule of thirds in portraiture

The rule of thirds also works when shooting portraits. The main emphasis can be placed on the model’s eyes or smile. So, in the first photo, what catches your eye first is the girl’s expressive gaze, while in the photo below the main emphasis is on the boy’s smile.

There are three important components to any photography. This technical weapons photographer, camera settings and, most importantly, a creative approach to the subject of photography. If we ignore the entire technical component, it is the creative decision of the photographer that can turn a frame into a masterpiece of photographic art. There are certain rules, according to which the composition of the frame is built. The rule of thirds as the basis of composition will be our theme. This rule is useful for beginning photographers, but it is not an axiom that must be followed.

What is the rule of thirds

Often, novice amateur photographers, looking at ready-made photographs, are surprised that the photograph is completely different from what they took. The most interesting thing that was present at the time of shooting turned out to be hidden and did not stand out at all. The photo turned out faceless and expressionless. Some amateur photographers begin to blame the camera for everything, but it is only a tool in the hands of the artist. With the right composition, even an inexpensive camera can take beautiful pictures. A bad photo may come out because one of the rules of frame composition or the rule of thirds was violated. Even ancient mathematicians proved that everything in the world around us is built according to strict mathematical laws. A person, perceiving the environment through the organs of vision, subconsciously fixes his attention on strictly defined points. Everything that is outside these points is perceived as insignificant and secondary. This rule fully applies to photography.

Frame construction

In order to correctly build a composition future photography, you can use the discussed rule. This composition system is a simplified version adapted for photography, on which the structure of all living objects is based. This law used in photography is as follows. It allows you to determine and establish the visual centers of the image field. These may sometimes be called power points or attraction zones. The entire field of view or frame that the photographer sees through the viewfinder should be divided into nine parts, drawing two horizontal and two vertical lines.

The points forming the central rectangle are 3/8 and 5/8 from the frame boundaries. It is what is located at these four points that the observer’s attention is focused on. Somewhat less importance is attached to the straight lines themselves, but they also play into the rule of thirds important role. Since the rule of thirds in photography does not necessarily correspond to the ideal golden ratio, in a simplified version, the frame is divided into three equal parts along each side. Most camera models already have such a grid in the viewfinder. Some models allow you to turn the grid on or off as needed. To enhance the effect of perception and focus attention on certain details of the image, the following techniques can be used in photography:

• Rule of thirds;
• Golden ratio;
• The principle of diagonals;
• Hogarth Line;
• Carnu spiral.

All these rules are based on attempts to bring the artist’s creative process and his vision of the world around him to mathematical modeling. But not always the set goal can be achieved using mathematical methods.

How to use in photography

It is impossible to give universal advice on frame composition. Here, a lot depends on the subjects being photographed, the number of important objects, the presence of minor and completely unnecessary details. Using the rule of thirds in photography, you should not overload the frame with important elements. It is better to take several photographs, each of which will be dominated by one interesting object.

Portrait photography

You must first choose the image scale, and then use the rule of thirds. If the portrait is a head portrait, then the eyes or at least one eye should be placed at the point of the crosshairs of the lines. The lips are usually in second place in importance. Placing these elements in the visual centers of the frame allows you to enhance the overall impression of the portrait.

The half-length portrait contains hands. In some cases they may dominate. When a person looks into the distance above the photographer’s head, and his arms are crossed on his chest, then they should be in the zone of attraction, in accordance with the rule of thirds. This pose indicates strength and determination, and the position of the hands emphasizes this. When making a full-length portrait of one person, he should not be placed in the center of the photograph. It is better to shoot it if it is in the left or right third of the photo. Placing a person on the left side is preferable, since reading develops a strong habit of viewing any image from left to right. Groups of people are best placed on two levels. This is how group portraits were taken back in the 20th century. The first row or group of people sits, and the next one behind them stands at full height. Thus, they are located on two horizontal lines exactly according to the rule of thirds. The psychology of perception gives photographers another important piece of advice. The most important or dominant object should be placed at the bottom right point of the center rectangle.

Landscape photography

An important function is assigned to the horizon line. This is especially important if it is a straight line, as in seascapes. Depending on where interesting objects are located, on the sea or on land, you should choose the location of the horizon line. In any case, this line must coincide with one of the two horizontal lines according to the rule of thirds. In this case, the photograph is clearly divided into three parts, of which two parts are land and one part is sea, or vice versa. In the same way, you can shoot wheat fields, plains or desert dunes against the sky.

Sometimes the laws don't apply

The rule of thirds is not mandatory and when the composition requires it, it can and should be broken. An example of such a violation is a photograph of a flat water surface in which the sky with clouds is mirrored. You cannot use the rule of thirds here, as you may lose the beauty and uniqueness of this plot. In this case, the horizon line runs exactly in the middle of the photograph, and the sky and its reflection in the water are absolutely symmetrical relative to the horizon. When it has become easier to shoot, and all the photos are successful, you should take a risky step. You need to completely forget about this rule. This is the advice of world-class photographers, whose works receive gold medals at international exhibitions.

The rule of thirds is a powerful compositional tool that helps make your photos more interesting and dynamic. It is rightfully taught as one of the first subjects in all digital photography classes because it is the key to understanding how to take interesting, balanced photographs.

At this point I can reassure you - neglecting this rule does not mean that the photograph will turn out uninteresting. However, one piece of wisdom says that in order to break the rules, you must first learn them - only then can something worthwhile come out of the violation.

So let's get started. To understand what the rule of thirds is, let’s mentally divide the image into thirds horizontally and vertically (see figure), resulting in 9 fragments.

* Many cameras have a function for displaying a grid of thirds, it’s easier here, you don’t need to mentally imagine anything.

The intersections of the grid lines form four points. When composing the frame, place the most interesting objects in them, on which attention should be concentrated. But don’t forget about the lines themselves, they will also be useful to us. These lines are useful when shooting landscapes. The rule of thirds is very useful when we're talking about about the use of strict horizontals or verticals. Placing straight lines in the center of the frame divides the image into two equal halves, giving it a static and disjointed feel. Separating one third of the picture with a line gives it much greater harmony. Position the line so that the most important part of the scene takes up the bulk of the image. For example, in my case the rock and the sky are important, so I placed the horizon on the bottom imaginary line, not on the top.

There is an axiom in photo theory that states that a photograph will be more balanced and will make a deeper impression on the viewer if the objects of interest to the photographer are located at intersection points or along grid lines. Studies have shown that the human eye involuntarily selects one of the points, and not the center of the image, that is, in fact, the “rule of thirds” is one of the features of our vision, put at the service of photography.

Some photographers intuitively understand the “rule of thirds”; others take time and practice to turn this skill into a reflex.

And once again - remember, breaking this rule, you can get great pictures, so once you get the hang of it, start experimenting.

And finally. Remember the “rule of thirds” when editing your photos. Using, for example, Photoshop you can crop and center the image, thereby bringing it into compliance with this rule. You can start with old photos to practice and see the results. For example, the photo below was cropped in Photoshop using the rule of thirds. The boat with people is located at the intersection of the lines, and plus the horizon lies exactly on the top line (“2 birds with one stone killed”)

And finally, some tips on using this rule

Tip #1:
When photographing landscapes, compose the frame so that the horizon lies on the upper or lower horizontal line; if there is no horizon in the frame (shooting mountains, etc.), then place the junction of the ground and the foot of the mountains or the junction of the sky and mountain peaks on one of the lines . The main thing is that there are no clearly defined terrain junctions and transitions in the center of the frame.

Tip #2:
In portrait photography, compose the frame so that the eyes are on one of the horizontal lines, if this is a group photo then there may be heads on this line

Tip #3:
Use vertical grid lines for things like trees, waterfalls, specific architectural details, or just a person with a background behind them.

Tip #4:
Place the objects you want to focus on at the points where the lines intersect. And even if it’s just an unnecessary object that you can’t remove from the frame, then just place it at the intersection of the lines, and most likely you’ll see it in a “new light.”

Tip #5:
If you see that when composing a frame without using the rule of thirds you will get a more interesting and original photo, then feel free to ignore this rule, because there are always exceptions. If, when composing the frame of the original photo, there is no light, then use the rule of thirds. In general, experiment, experiment and experiment again, because no one is stopping you from taking pictures with different layouts of the same scene.

Before reprinting articles from this site, please read the rules

The "rule of thirds" is one of the most important compositional techniques in photography.
In this article, we'll introduce you to the use of the "rule of thirds" in different genres of photography, from landscape to portraiture.

Of course, rules should never be applied blindly, especially in art, so the “rule of thirds,” like other compositional rules, should be treated as practical advice, not dogma. In most cases, this technique will produce interesting, balanced images and will serve as an excellent starting point when building a composition.
What is the "rule of thirds"?

Applying the "rule of thirds" involves mentally dividing the image with two horizontal and two vertical lines, as in the image below. Then you should place the key elements of the photo at the intersection points of these lines.

Martin Gommel .

A grid demonstrating the "rule of thirds". The most important elements (the barn and the boundaries between the ground and the trees) are located along the lines and at their intersections.

The point of this rule is that this composition is pleasing to the eye and looks more natural than photos in which the subject is located directly in the center. The "rule of thirds" forces us to get creative with our use of "negative space" - the empty areas in a photo around the subject.

How to apply the "rule of thirds" in practice?

When composing your photo, mentally divide the scene as described above. Decide which elements of the photograph are the most important and try to arrange them along the lines and at their intersections. This does not mean that they must be located exactly at these points; it is quite enough if they are located close to them.

Horizon line and main object in this photo they are located according to the “rule of thirds” near the points of intersection of the lines, which makes the photo more impressive.

You'll likely have to work with your feet to find the best composition. But it will also help you think better about the composition of your photo, whether you use the rule of thirds or not.

On some cameras, the grid of thirds lines is visible when you look through the viewfinder. Thanks to it, you don’t have to guess by eye where the intersection points are and you can easily choose the correct location of objects.

Examples of applying the "rule of thirds"

The "rule of thirds" is very universal and can be applied to most genres of photography. The following are some examples of how it can be used in photography.

Andreas Wonisch
Beginning photographers, when shooting landscapes, often place the horizon in the center of the frame and create the impression of a broken picture. The horizon should be placed along one of the horizontal lines in accordance with the “rule of thirds”.

Try to add some interesting objects into the photo, like the tree above, and remember to place them according to the rule of thirds. Then a “magnet” will appear in the picture - a point to which the audience’s attention will be drawn.

In the photo above, the main subject is at the intersection, along one of the vertical lines. The branch approximately coincides with one of the horizontal lines. Empty space in the bottom left corner gives balance and keeps the photo from becoming overloaded with unnecessary detail.

Vertical objects, like the lighthouse in the photo above, can split (like the horizon line we already talked about) a photo into two parts. To prevent this unwanted effect, place the subject off-center in the frame.

muskva

When photographing moving subjects, try to position the subject in the direction of movement. As a general rule, it's a good idea to leave more space in front of the subject than behind it to show the direction of movement.

Using photo processing programs

You can apply the "rule of thirds" to your photography by cropping. By cropping, you can change the location of significant objects in the photo, moving them to better positions.

Jenn Forman Orth

Programs like Photoshop and Lightroom have crop tools that follow the “rule of thirds.” The tool overlays a grid with lines of thirds, which helps you get the right composition.

Break the rules

Applying the "rule of thirds" and other compositional rules is not necessary in every situation. Sometimes breaking the rules can help you get more interesting and exciting photos. Experiment and try different compositions, even if it goes against all the rules you know.

But before you start breaking the rules, you should first learn how to apply them. Then you will experiment meaningfully, improving the composition, and not just for the sake of experimenting.

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