The Rule of Thirds was always one of those design concepts which was way over my head, and for a long long time I simply ignored it. This time it was Tracy Shimper of Scrapkits.co.za and Art from the Heart who finally explained it to me in a way that made sense and that, together with the grid line display on my camera changed my compositions forever.
Simply put the Rule of Thirds involves "cutting" your photo into 9 blocks. Imagine drawing 2 equally spaced lines vertically down the photo cutting it into three equal columns and another 2 equally spaced lines horizontally across the photo - giving you 9 equal size blocks.
To use the Rule of Thirds effectively:- place the subject as close to the dissection point of one set of lines as possible rather then placing it in the centre of the photo.
- if you are doing a really close up shot, try and put the focal area e.g. the person's eye on the point of intersection.
- In landscapes, try to have one element e.g. the sky taking up 2 thirds of the photo while the balancing element e.g. the sea takes up the remaining 1 third - the best photo will then have a subject e.g a boat on one of the intersection points.
Many cameras will allow you to apply the Rule of Thirds grid line to your display mode and it is definitely worth it while you are getting used to the concept. Try having some fun and take a photo the way you would normally set it up and then shake things up a bit and apply the Rule of Thirds to the same shot....chances are you will LOVE the second photo.
