What is the Rule of Thirds?
The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an
image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9
parts. As follows:
As you’re taking an image you would have done this in your mind through
your viewfinder or in the LCD display that you use to frame your shot.
With this grid in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ now identifies four
important parts of the image that you should consider placing points of
interest in as you frame your image.
Not only this – but it also gives you four ‘lines’ that are also useful
positions for elements in your photo.
The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections
or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a
viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally.
Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually
go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of
the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an
image rather than working against it.
