The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two thirds more open. While there are other forms of composition, the rule of thirds generally leads to compelling and well-composed shots.
The rule of thirds helps direct the viewer's gaze to the main focal point of an image, whatever the subject may be. It makes the most of empty space by drawing your eye to a specific part of the image, emphasised through composition.
Rule of Thirds Example: Landscapes
If the focus of your image is on land (i.e. mountains, buildings), the horizon should fall near the upper third and if the focus is the sky (i.e. sunsets, sunrises), the horizon should fall near the lower third.
Short answer: The rule of thirds in photography is a compositional guideline that evenly divides an image into thirds by using two horizontal and vertical dividing lines. Placing the subject or elements of interest where the lines intersect, creates a more powerful composition.
In some cases, the scene dictates the composition. If the scene has strong diagonal leading lines, for example, using the golden triangle rule instead of the rule of thirds may be a better idea. For scenes with strong curve lines, the golden ratio rule works better. Don't follow the same pattern for every photograph.
The 1/3 — 2/3 Rule
The rule states that leaders should spend no more than 1/3 of the time allocated for a mission or project on the planning phase. The other 2/3 is devoted to individuals and teams working in their strongest areas.
Imagine two evenly spaced vertical lines and two evenly spaced horizontal lines drawn over your viewfinder like a tic-tac-toe board. The lines divide the screen into a set of nine rectangles. Where the vertical and horizontal lines cross are “rule of thirds” points.
The rule of thirds is a method of breaking up an image or design into different sections using columns and rows that form a grid. The grid consists of three evenly-spaced rows and columns to make nine equal boxes that fit over the image. The grid on your phone's camera is a great example of this.
The rule of thirds is a guideline for both artists and photographers. It says that if you divide your composition into thirds, either vertically or horizontally, and then place focal areas of your scene at the meeting points of them, you will get a more pleasing arrangement and layout for your compositions.
If you place the elements of your photo two thirds to the right or left it again generally becomes more pleasing to the eye. If shooting vertically, try placing your horizon two thirds of the way up or down. The Rule of Thirds is very simple but can become quite complex in its implementation...
In other words, the rule of thirds composition offers a more engaging photographic experience. Also, the rule of thirds carries on the way humans naturally view images. For example, studies show that human eyes usually go to one of the intersection points rather than the center of the picture.
Placing your subject or horizon in the centre of the image is the most obvious alternative to the Rule of Thirds, and works well for many subjects. A prominent horizontal line in the dead-centre of an image perfectly bisects it and gives equal weight to the two halves of the image.
Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject. The photograph on the right demonstrates the application of the rule of thirds.
What Is Meant by the Golden Triangle? The golden triangle is a composition rule. This rule is somewhat like the rule of thirds. The way the photo is divided is a little different though. Instead of straight lines, a series of diagonal lines that form right-angle triangles act as a composition guide.
The golden ratio is a guide to where to place a subject (a tree, person, building, etc.) or element in a photo (like the horizon) where it will be most pleasing to the eye. That divine ratio is 1.618:1. The first recorded definition of the golden ratio came from Euclid in the 3rd Century BC.
Interior designer Amanda Barnes defined the rule of thirds like so: “The rule of thirds is a guideline that divides a frame up into three planes that places something in the left, right, or center of an image,” she says. Just remember this: the human eye prefers groupings of three or other odd numbers.
The rule of thirds is an effective way to frame the elements in your scene so that the resulting image is much more visually captivating. Like most other filmmaking “rules,” it's not really a rule at all — more of a golden guideline.
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR USING THE RULE OF THIRDS
Position your horizon line on one of the horizontal grid lines – Putting your horizon line in the center of your photo is like cutting your image in half. You can create interest by positioning it in the top or bottom third of your photo.
The Rule of 3 is a productivity principle that encourages us to focus on achieving just three meaningful outcomes every day, week, month, and year. It's one of the simplest but most effective productivity rituals you will ever come across.
The conventional theory for running an accounting practice says that you should split revenue by three. A third for wages, a third for overheads, and a third for partner profit.
“When you're chasing a big goal, you're supposed to feel good a third of the time, okay a third of the time, and crappy a third of the time...and if the ratio is roughly in that range, then you're doing fine.”
Symmetry is a great composition style which doesn't lend it's self too well to rule of thirds. Shooting in a 1:1 ratio can also make the rule of thirds quite challenging. Reflections in water or mirrors etc don't often work. Sometimes weird compositions that don't make sense on paper just work!
The rule suggests that the frame be divided into 9 equal parts established by two imaginary, equidistant lines both horizontally and vertically. As opposed to centering subjects in the frame, the rule proposes placing a subject or subjects along the imaginary lines or their intersections.