Rule Of Thirds

The rule of thirds is one of the most basic and commonly used composition techniques in photography. When I first started, I wasn't aware of its use. In fact, I didn't even know that it existed. But throughout this time, I have come to realise the benefit of using such composition guidelines to enhance my photos.

What is the rule of thirds, you ask? Well, it is a compositional tool used across all art forms. It works by mentally dividing an image down into thirds: horizontally and vertically with two lines each. The points of interest are supposed to be placed in the intersections or along the lines to make a photo more balanced and enable the audience to interact with it in a more natural way than they normally would.

This can be done very easily by just imagining the scene divided up when framing the photo. And then follows picking the elements that are most important. They don't have to be perfectly lined as long as they are close.

There are several studies done that show that people's eyes, when viewing images, usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally, instead of the centre of the shot. So applying the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image instead of working against it.

It might be a little frustrating to constantly track everything and align it to the grid at first. But through practise, it will come to you naturally. And even if you didn't manage to apply it while taking the photo, you can always do it in post-production. Editing softwares have tools for cropping and reframing images so that they fit within the rules.

With all that said, you should know that it can not be applied in every situation. keep in mid that breaking the rules can also result in striking shots. That is why I believe that you should purposely experiment to see what you can discover, after mastering it.