Rule Of The Thirds

[jupiterlush]

Everytime I take pictures I always forget about the Rule of the Thirds until someone saw this picture from my camera and said "rule of the thirds". Does this picture applies to it? And can you give me a simple explanation about the rule of the thirds? Thank you.

[Bobobird]

Nice serene and colourful pic.

Rule of Thirds - good explanation with pictures here
http://www.digital-photography-schoo...rule-of-thirds

[Dizzy]

Good one Bobo, but don't forget about this one:

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...-of-thirds.htm

[Bobobird]

Knew we had one but was too lazy to look it up

[jambin]

The tyranny of the "Rule of thirds" again. It isn't a rule in that sense, merely a guideline. If you like your image the way it is why bother about the rules?

[Donald]

What I always feel about this is, be aware of the 'rule of thirds' as your composing' and ask yourself if the shot you are about to take would be better if you applied the rule, or not. If not, ignore it. Sometimes a composition demands that it be applied. Sometimes it would be worst thing to do. It's all about your artistic vision.

[jupiterlush]

Nice serene and colourful pic.

Rule of Thirds - good explanation with pictures here
http://www.digital-photography-schoo...rule-of-thirds

Thanks Bobo!

[jupiterlush]

Good one Bobo, but don't forget about this one:

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...-of-thirds.htm

Yeah Mike, very interesting thanks!

[jupiterlush]

The tyranny of the "Rule of thirds" again. It isn't a rule in that sense, merely a guideline. If you like your image the way it is why bother about the rules?

I only thought I might be breaking some rules! I like that image and who cares about some rules!

[jupiterlush]

What I always feel about this is, be aware of the 'rule of thirds' as your composing' and ask yourself if the shot you are about to take would be better if you applied the rule, or not. If not, ignore it. Sometimes a composition demands that it be applied. Sometimes it would be worst thing to do. It's all about your artistic vision.

Sir Donald thank you, I know I've improved my photography somehow through the advises of CiC and whenever I post pictures for some local photo challenge which they find impressing, I always thought of CiC.
You're right... sometimes it has nothing to do with the guidelines, there are subject which looks nice but you don't feel like capturing it and there are subject which are dull but looks great in pictures, it all depends in our like you said "artistic vision".

[Marty]

Here is some light bedtime reading about the rule of thirds or "The Golden Mean" as it's often called.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

enjoy !

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Damn the rules I say! Personally I think achieving balance in a composition is more important than adherence to the rule of thirds. Sometimes you achieve better impact in a photo by ignoring that particular rule as long as your composition remains in balance with the elements that you have in the photo - which is not always easy to achieve

Great photo by the way A nicely balanced composition with some very distinct elements which divide your photo into three areas - the boat and sand in the foreground, the serenity of the water in the middle, and the distant mountains and sky in the background

[ktuli]

I'm a little late to the party here, but I have to agree with Mal on this one. The more important aspect is balance, and you've achieved that perfectly.

The only thing I'd change about this photo is I feel the foreground could use to be a little bit brighter. I know this is just how the lighting was, but with the hillside in the background being the brightest portion of the photo, I feel it competes with the boats for my attention.

Regardless of that (and it is a minor thing at that), it is a fantastic capture, and I feel myself wishing I could step into the scene and sit on that beach for a while.... and that is what makes a great landscape photo in my opinion - making your viewer want to step into the photo.

- Bill

[jupiterlush]

Here is some light bedtime reading about the rule of thirds or "The Golden Mean" as it's often called.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

enjoy !

Thank you Martin for viewing and the link...it made my life complicated LOL!

[jupiterlush]

Damn the rules I say! Personally I think achieving balance in a composition is more important than adherence to the rule of thirds. Sometimes you achieve better impact in a photo by ignoring that particular rule as long as your composition remains in balance with the elements that you have in the photo - which is not always easy to achieve

Great photo by the way A nicely balanced composition with some very distinct elements which divide your photo into three areas - the boat and sand in the foreground, the serenity of the water in the middle, and the distant mountains and sky in the background

Hi Mal thanks! Let's forget about the rules! Just keep on snapping!

[jupiterlush]

I'm a little late to the party here, but I have to agree with Mal on this one. The more important aspect is balance, and you've achieved that perfectly.

The only thing I'd change about this photo is I feel the foreground could use to be a little bit brighter. I know this is just how the lighting was, but with the hillside in the background being the brightest portion of the photo, I feel it competes with the boats for my attention.

Regardless of that (and it is a minor thing at that), it is a fantastic capture, and I feel myself wishing I could step into the scene and sit on that beach for a while.... and that is what makes a great landscape photo in my opinion - making your viewer want to step into the photo.

- Bill

Hi Bill thank you. The calm water and the sunset was very inviting then, I couldn't resist it! Btw the bright part on the hill was originally a limestone which makes the picture more brighter on that part so I cloned it but still the sun was about to set that time, that's when the rays was more intense in that part. Anyway, thank you for viewing again.

[ucci]

Marty's posted reference is good and scientifically full of good info., more than enough to blind all but the most gifted genius with science! But for a simple fellow ( or is the correct PC term in this case a simpleton? ) like me all those mathematics makes my brain hurt. The Rule of Thirds ( as so wonderfully pronounced by the Irish who tend to drop their 'haitches'), is an incorrect technical approximation of the 'Golden Mean' which has been devised for ease of application. The Golden Mean has been used empirically by artists and photographers since God played Fullback for Jerusalem. To quote Jim Harmer," Following the Golden Mean rather than the Rule of Thirds will result in stronger composition that will contain the subject in the frame with better proportionality. In short the image will feel more balanced than if a strict rule of thirds is used." To me this means your piccie will look better if you do.
For those who find maths a total turn off I have pinched and posted a couple of diagrams from one of Jim Harmer's books which gives a simple but clear exposition of the the rule versus the mean. For which action I will no doubt be incarcerated or be set upon by attack trained killer Chihuahuas for flouting copyright. Oh well....
Harmer's advice is to look through the view finder and in framing the shot squish up the middle section of the imaginary 3X3 grid one normally applies for the Rule of Thirds.
But I tend to go along with the pragmatists.... Rule of thirds? Who gives a rat's left toenail... Just frame up a composition that looks good and press the button! Some of us do it for fun and some 'non keepers' with digital are not the end of the world
Old Ucci,(who doesn't really know very much about, and cares even less for, too much hi tech mumbo jumbo.)

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Marty's posted reference is good and scientifically full of good info., more than enough to blind all but the most gifted genius with science! But for a simple fellow ( or is the correct PC term in this case a simpleton? ) like me all those mathematics makes my brain hurt. The Rule of Thirds ( as so wonderfully pronounced by the Irish who tend to drop their 'haitches'), is an incorrect technical approximation of the 'Golden Mean' which has been devised for ease of application. The Golden Mean has been used empirically by artists and photographers since God played Fullback for Jerusalem. To quote Jim Harmer," Following the Golden Mean rather than the Rule of Thirds will result in stronger composition that will contain the subject in the frame with better proportionality. In short the image will feel more balanced than if a strict rule of thirds is used." To me this means your piccie will look better if you do.
For those who find maths a total turn off I have pinched and posted a couple of diagrams from one of Jim Harmer's books which gives a simple but clear exposition of the the rule versus the mean. For which action I will no doubt be incarcerated or be set upon by attack trained killer Chihuahuas for flouting copyright. Oh well....
Harmer's advice is to look through the view finder and in framing the shot squish up the middle section of the imaginary 3X3 grid one normally applies for the Rule of Thirds.
But I tend to go along with the pragmatists.... Rule of thirds? Who gives a rat's left toenail... Just frame up a composition that looks good and press the button! Some of us do it for fun and some 'non keepers' with digital are not the end of the world
Old Ucci,(who doesn't really know very much about, and cares even less for, too much hi tech mumbo jumbo.)

You just made my head hurt!

[jupiterlush]

Marty's posted reference is good and scientifically full of good info., more than enough to blind all but the most gifted genius with science! But for a simple fellow ( or is the correct PC term in this case a simpleton? ) like me all those mathematics makes my brain hurt. The Rule of Thirds ( as so wonderfully pronounced by the Irish who tend to drop their 'haitches'), is an incorrect technical approximation of the 'Golden Mean' which has been devised for ease of application. The Golden Mean has been used empirically by artists and photographers since God played Fullback for Jerusalem. To quote Jim Harmer," Following the Golden Mean rather than the Rule of Thirds will result in stronger composition that will contain the subject in the frame with better proportionality. In short the image will feel more balanced than if a strict rule of thirds is used." To me this means your piccie will look better if you do.
For those who find maths a total turn off I have pinched and posted a couple of diagrams from one of Jim Harmer's books which gives a simple but clear exposition of the the rule versus the mean. For which action I will no doubt be incarcerated or be set upon by attack trained killer Chihuahuas for flouting copyright. Oh well....
Harmer's advice is to look through the view finder and in framing the shot squish up the middle section of the imaginary 3X3 grid one normally applies for the Rule of Thirds.
But I tend to go along with the pragmatists.... Rule of thirds? Who gives a rat's left toenail... Just frame up a composition that looks good and press the button! Some of us do it for fun and some 'non keepers' with digital are not the end of the world
Old Ucci,(who doesn't really know very much about, and cares even less for, too much hi tech mumbo jumbo.)

Hi Ken...when it come to Mathematics we are together...I hate computations and formulas in short. I just asked for a simple explanation for the Rule of the Thirds and I think the simplest would be...forget about it just keep on snapping.

[MiniChris]

The "Rule of Thirds," though important is only one component of good composition. I try to teach my students to look through the shot: see what's in front, behind and around the main subject. Look for debris, reflections, trees coming out of heads and the like. Next, I tell them to fill the frame with the subject. Cropping is such a pain. Lastly, I tell them to compose, then shut their eyes for a brief second (when time and subject permits) and recompose a second time...funny how different the trees seem when the forest is removed. Foreground, middle ground, background are so important as is allowing a way for the eye to enter the scene, and a way for the eye to leave a scene. Those three components will almost force the Rule of Thirds without having to consciously think that way.

Photography is like any other art form. You must work at it every single time you pick up a camera, and you must study the works of others to see what you're missing in your own work, and you must pay attention to the most important of all elements in art and photography: Light; it's always about the light.