Rule of thirds why

The symmetry or pattern is more easily identifiable when the photo is centered. Placing the subject in the center makes it appear more confrontational. If your goal is for the subject to look big and intimidating, a center placement might be more effective than using the rule of thirds. When your photo tells a story, sometimes a centered or even extreme side placement conveys the story better than the rule of thirds. When the entire scene is interesting, placing the subject up close to the edge or even in a corner is a good way to highlight that.

This composition is one of the trickiest to do and do right, though. The rule of thirds is the most well-known composition guideline. Centered placements are best for showing symmetry, or making the subject appear more confrontational.

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After all, you can always crop your photos later on! Just make sure to keep the gridlines in mind when editing. By the way, if you want to start practicing the rule of thirds immediately, you can always pull up old photos and do some test cropping. See what impact it has on your photos; you might be impressed by the results. As I explained above, it is possible to break the rule of thirds and end up with beautiful photos. In fact, sometimes you can end up with an even stronger composition by ignoring the rule.

One of my favorite times to break the rule of thirds is when photographing symmetrical subjects. And note that an image can both break and follow the rule of thirds at the same time.

The Rule of Thirds in Use. As you can see when we use the Rule of Thirds overlay, the dog is placed at one of the intersections. The lower left box has been left empty in order to achieve a more well-balanced image.

You can also notice that the horizon is not in the middle of the image; instead, the sky begins along the upper horizontal line. In general, try to avoid centering both the horizon and main subject. Having this knowledge will, without a doubt, lead to you becoming a better photographer. Strictly following the rules will limit your creativity and will have a negative impact on your photography.

Some of my personal favorites do have the main subject placed in the center of the frame, or the horizon split in the middle of the image. Do you want to learn more about compositions and the fundamentals of landscape photography? Become a better photographer, starting today. What is the Rule of Thirds? Think about what elements of the photo are most important, and try to position them at or near the lines and intersections of the grid.

They don't have to be perfectly lined up as long as they're close. The horizon and main subject in this photo have been positioned near lines or intersections for maximum impact. Image by K Praslowicz. You may need to move around to get the best composition. This forces you to think more carefully about the shot, and is a good habit to get into whether you're using the rule of thirds or not. To help you out, some cameras have a setting which overlays a rule of thirds grid onto your photo.

This removes all guesswork and helps you get your positioning even more accurate. The rule of thirds is very versatile and can be used on any subject.

Below are some example of it being used effectively in different types of shots. Image by Andreas Wonisch. In landscape shots, it's common to position the horizon along the centre of the frame, but this can give the photo a "split in two" feel. Instead, place it along one of the horizontal lines. Try to include another interesting object, such as the tree in the photo above, and position it according to the rule of thirds.

This provides an "anchor", a natural focal point for the scene. Image by Megan Leetz. It's a good idea to position people off to one side of the frame.