| The rule of thirds is one of the long-standing rules of | | | | Ancient Greek buildings are full of golden ratios, and |
| photography. It is a widely accepted aesthetic | | | | the ancient Egyptians used it too. Leonardo De Vinci |
| principle. The basic idea of this is that you get a much | | | | used them all the time. |
| more aesthetically pleasing image if you place the | | | | For the photographer it is difficult to work out |
| subject of your photo a third of the way across the | | | | exactly where the golden ratio is in the viewfinder so |
| frame instead of in the center of the frame. It is long | | | | people made it simple and said things look better |
| been the accepted way to create more beautiful | | | | when the subject is about a third of the way across. |
| photos. | | | | That is easier for photographers to work with |
| Using the rule of thirds meant that photographers | | | | When people first discovered the rule of thirds they |
| should imagine a grid of nine squares placed over | | | | tended to leave the grid on. Often photographers so |
| their image and then to look to line up elements along | | | | rigidly adhered to an obvious grid of nine squares that |
| this grid, particularily paying attention to the key | | | | the content of the images was almost less important. |
| places created by the four intersections of the grid | | | | There is nothing wrong with this; it is okay to place |
| lines. The objects and areas of interest might also be | | | | the subject of the photo a third of the way across |
| laid near one of the lines, (it's a good idea to put the | | | | as a matter of routine. If all your photos clearly look |
| horizon below or above the center, for example) | | | | like a grid then maybe you need to alter your subject |
| This was a simple guide for photographers to use | | | | matter or other aspects of the photo's composition |
| mentally when looking through the view finder; they | | | | A clearly structured photo with an obvious grid is not |
| didn't need to try to match up lines in their image to | | | | in any way bad or amateur. However a photo that |
| the exact grid. Some photographers have the opinion | | | | doesn't show an obvious grid is not at all less |
| that using the rule of thirds has made the images as | | | | aesthetically pleasing either. It is more important to |
| mundane, stifling, and conventional as the earlier | | | | look for the well-composed picture than it is to look |
| photography with the subjects centered in the middle | | | | for the grid. When you are just starting out you can |
| of the picture. | | | | use the grid as a useful safety net; but also as a |
| The rule of thirds originates in the golden ratio | | | | launch pad rather than a law that constrains you. |
| discovered by the ancient Greeks and called "phi". | | | | With more experience you will find the rule of thirds |
| The way this ratio works is if a line A was divided | | | | in your photos where you never consciously looked |
| into two sections B and C where one was larger than | | | | for it. |
| the other, the golden ratio is achieved when A/B=B | | | | The rule of thirds is an established way to make |
| C, or a ratio of 1.6180339887. The golden ratio is | | | | your photographs look better. This being said, you |
| found throughout nature. It underlies many growth | | | | should use this principle as a launching pad for your |
| patterns throughout nature, form the spiral of a | | | | creativity rather than as an absolute rule. For |
| Nautilus shell to the petals of a sunflower to the | | | | beginners, it is a good safety net. With experience, |
| planets of our solar system. It shows up in so many | | | | you will find yourself using this principle in an |
| things that we think of as beautiful. This ratio has | | | | unconscious, intuitive manner anyway. You will be |
| been used extensively in architecture, art, and music. | | | | taking very appealing, beautiful photos. Have fun. |