Composition: Why do we follow the rule of thirds in photography?
J. Ramon Palacios (jrp)
Keywords: basics, composition, technique, theory
We have been taught that the optimal position of a subject in a frame is when it follows the rule of thirds, that is, it is more pleasing to look at it when placed at any of the intersections of the frame divided into three sections, both horizontally and vertically, as marked by circles in the sample frame below:
For the sake of illustration, the image below is an example of what is not the recommended placement, the “smack in the center” position horizontally and too high vertically:
And what is considered as preferable is this:
WHY
It was not until 2003 that I became intrigued with Fibonacci, as a consequence of Dan Brown’s best seller “The Da Vinci Code”, later made into a most entertaining well-made movie.
To read the rest of the article, please log in. This article is available to all Silver, Gold and Platinum Nikonians members. If you are not registered yet, please do so. To discover the world of Nikonians and the advantages of being a registered member, take our short discovery tour.
More articles that might interest you
G
22 comments
J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on November 1, 2017
Frederick, I will place some samples for you in the A Picture I Took forum tomorrow morning, Nov 2.
Frederick W. Ming (optimist13) on October 29, 2017
Thank you for this article. I would be grateful if you (or another) could give a few more examples of compositional applications. Thanks Fred
Agli Olio (AgliOlio) on May 19, 2015
Happened to bump into this mind blowing article! Cool!
Andrew McDonald (AndyMac) on January 17, 2014
It's OK. I can take it and I learned a lot on that trip. :)
Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) on January 17, 2014
This topic cannot be repeated often enough Ramón. Thanks for sharing this. Also love the thumbnail for this article on the homepage :)
J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on January 16, 2014
I didn't want to bring that up, Andy ;-)
Andrew McDonald (AndyMac) on January 16, 2014
JRP, I was referring to the fact that I took them. I still remember the presentation you did. You pulled up the Rick picture as an example of good use of Rule of Thirds and I got all happy. Then you pulled up the image of Jon and I got all embarrassed.
David Clemmer (AMusingFool) on January 16, 2014
To get absurdly into Fibonacci's series: http://www.fq.math.ca/
J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on January 16, 2014
Phillip, It is easier than one may think at first. Let's take this on at the forums.
Phillip M. Jones (pjonesCET) on January 15, 2014
Examples: [imglink:420488] and [imglink:420487] Both taken at 11mm to get entire church and the entire original part in the picture.
Phillip M. Jones (pjonesCET) on January 15, 2014
Not for Ghoulish reasons, but for Family Tree items (another interest on Mine). I Take Photos of churches associated with the deceased relatives, Grave stones Markers. If using the Rule of 3's how does one get the Whole of the Front or back of the Church in the field of view If not taken dead center on, although I have a 10-24mm Lens for my camera. At really wide angles such as 10-11mm just taking a Frontal Shot causes Perspective Issues example keystoning if the least bit below the church, and if straight on either the center or the edges appear to be closer.
Mathew Bunnell (trek) on January 15, 2014
It does not matter how much I think I know. I'm always humbled how much I don't. You guys amaze me!
Jim Troxell (FFN) on January 15, 2014
Yet another great article from JRP. Thank you for your contributions and sharing of your knowledge.
J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on January 13, 2014
Yes, Andy. Those images were made at the the Smoky Mountains National Park in South Tennessee and North Carolina, ANPAT 6th ;-)
Andrew McDonald (AndyMac) on January 13, 2014
To clarify since I can't edit, I was talking about the images of Jon and Rick.
Andrew McDonald (AndyMac) on January 13, 2014
Gee, those photos look familiar. Both the good and the bad. :)
J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on January 13, 2014
George, thank you. Yes, photography is quite challenging and remains to be no matter how much we may think we learn. That makes it always interesting and delightful, even when at times frustrating ;-)
J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on January 13, 2014
Egbert, thank you. Indeed Euclid discovered the golden cut because of its crucial role in the construction of the pentagram. This has been accounted by now in several well document books by reputable authors. For example "The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number" also published in 2003, by Mario Livio, then senior astrophysicist and the Head of the Office of Public Outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, MD.
J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) on January 13, 2014
Jacques, merci. France indeed has many constructions that follow the Divine Proportion, for example Notre Dame de Paris cathedral. Furthermore, contemporary street photographers, like Henri Cartier Bresson ('father' of photojournalism) can be considered as making frequent and extensive use of the rule.
George Butterfield (Gbutterf1) on January 13, 2014
Thanks for a very interesting topic, composition has and continues to be one of my biggest challenges, that and light, speed, focus, lens choice, etc,etc.
Egbert M. Reinhold (Ineluki) on January 13, 2014
Thank you for the story. I have to add that Euclid found this rule. It was he who described the golden cut in the year 300 b.c. But the rule is even older but Euclid was the first seeing this in a pentagram.
Jacques Pochoy (archivue) on January 13, 2014
As for Architecture, the red and blue rules of "Le Corbusier" (or "Corbs"), follow exactly the 1.618 and 0,618 ratios respectfully... :-) Further testings, when asked to divide a segment non symmetrically, most people set up to a 1/3d ratio, which in french is called "tiercer" (divide by three), and most renaissance architecture as common farms buildings often have doors and windows proportions set by the one third ratio... :-) As all rules, they are meant to be overridden, If there is a good reason to it... As with DoF, it is often a mean to "disturb" the viewer and pinpoint a given situation of the subject !