A lot of new photographers would learn the rule of thirds as they start to venture deeper into photography. Besides good lighting, the rule of thirds is a basic composition technique that can provide a dramatic output from your photographs. The rule is so easy to follow even those who are just starting photography can follow.
The rule states that you divide an image into nine parts(both horizontally and vertically), like an imaginary tic-tac-toe board.
The four points where the lines intersects have the strongest impact while the lines are second strongest focal points.
You then apply these guidelines to your intended image via aligning the lines into important subjects of your composition.
In the picture above, instead of putting the word “Vito Cruz” at the center of the frame, it is moved to the right side of the frame. This gives more impact and drama. The reason for this is it leads the eye to move around the picture and not just float around the center.
The grasshopper picture shown above also shows the rule of thirds in application. Instead of putting the subject at the center of the frame, the grasshopper is oriented at the lower left part of the photograph.
The rule of thirds can be applied in post-processing too. If this is the first time you’ve heard of this composition technique, open up some of your previous pictures and crop them so they align with the rule. Experiment and you might get a better results than your previous pictures.
However, as most people say, rules are meant to be broken. Don’t tie yourself with the rule of thirds. A lot of photographers don’t use this and they get stunning shots. When you have mastered the rule of thirds, you’re now ready to break the rule and do your own composition.
