Rule of thirds

One of the first things you will learn when you are starting with your photography journey is the rule of thirds. Even if you have never taken any photography classes, you probably know about this. This guideline is essential, powerful and considered basic. It will compose your image to create a balanced and interesting photo.

The rule of thirds is an off center composition. You work with a 3 x 3 grid, which equally spilts into 9 parts. The intersecting points in the frame are the spots where you can place your subject. This way you draw the attention of the viewer to the subject.

The rule of thirds exists so that you don’t always just place your subject in the center of the frame. Placing your subject in the center of the frame works well for some pictures, but when you always do this your pictures are likely to get boring very quickly. Most camera’s have a rule of thirds grid in the settings which you can turn on to practice.

Nevertheless, there are exceptions for this rule. The rule of thirds doesn’t take into account what you are photographing. For example, sometimes you are compromising your composition by following the rule of thirds. When this is the case, break the rule and give attention to your subject and elements.