How does rule of thirds work

I used to try cropping in PhotoWorks before but I always failed to get the right crop. Your tutorial made the things clear to me, thanks. We're glad you have chosen to leave a comment. Please keep in mind that all comments are moderated according to our privacy policy , and all links are nofollow. Do NOT use keywords in the name field. Let's have a personal and meaningful conversation. Your Comment. Your Real Name. Your Email Address. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Digital Photography Tips, Tutorials and Resources. Using WordPress and want to get Envira Gallery free? Try Envira Gallery free! Related Posts. For instance, in landscape photography , you can position the horizon along the top horizontal gridline:. Also note how another key compositional element — the structure on stilts — is positioned at the upper-right power point of the frame.

Thanks to this, the whole shot feels balanced and dynamic. And in flower photography , subjects look great when the stem follows a rule of thirds gridline and the petals sit atop a power point:. That way, you can determine your points of interest, then you can immediately place them along a rule of thirds gridline or power point.

After all, you can always crop your photos later on! Just make sure to keep the gridlines in mind when editing. By the way, if you want to start practicing the rule of thirds immediately, you can always pull up old photos and do some test cropping. See what impact it has on your photos; you might be impressed by the results. As I explained above, it is possible to break the rule of thirds and end up with beautiful photos.

In fact, sometimes you can end up with an even stronger composition by ignoring the rule. One of my favorite times to break the rule of thirds is when photographing symmetrical subjects. The symmetry or pattern is more easily identifiable when the photo is centered. Placing the subject in the center makes it appear more confrontational.

If your goal is for the subject to look big and intimidating, a center placement might be more effective than using the rule of thirds. When your photo tells a story, sometimes a centered or even extreme side placement conveys the story better than the rule of thirds. When the entire scene is interesting, placing the subject up close to the edge or even in a corner is a good way to highlight that. This composition is one of the trickiest to do and do right, though. The rule of thirds is the most well-known composition guideline.

Centered placements are best for showing symmetry, or making the subject appear more confrontational. Looking to sharpen your photography skills? Join our top-rated online photography course today! Shaw Academy has over globally recognised courses across 10 faculties.

Sign up now - the first four weeks are free. Home Blog. What is the rule of thirds? Imagine your image is divided into sections by a tic-tac-toe board like the grid here: The rule of thirds simply suggests that you place your subject on one of the places that those lines intersect. Learn Photography Master the fundamentals of photography, from the basics to advanced techniques, and become a professional photographer.