Using the Rule of Thirds

Improve Your Image Balance

This is the first of several pages exploring image balance topics:

• Using the rule of thirds to balance the subject
• Using bilateral and radial symmetry for emphasis

These photo composition rules go hand-in-hand with the rules you learned in Subject Selection:

• Change your angle of view
• Get close

Though these are termed “rules”, they work best as guidelines to be applied according to your judgment. Rules don't always work; however, time has proven that when used well these approaches will yield good results more often than not. For example, dividing you image into thirds often serves as the best way to achieve a pleasing image balance.

The Rule of Thirds

In its simplest terms, this rule says that placing your subject off-center generally yields a better composition than placing the subject dead-center. By dividing your photograph into thirds with two horizontal and vertical lines, you end up with off-center guidelines for aligning key image elements.

Rule of Thirds grid - use to align your photo subject.

Back to the Gdynia Battleship

Minolta Dimage 7Hi, Built-in Zoom @ 28mm ISO 100, 1/350s, f/8 Mouse over the image to see alignment of the bow with the right third-line.

But, what happens if the ship were balanced on the mid-line of the frame? This image seems to be crying out for a centered, symmetrical view.

Or does it?

Take a look at what happens with the bow nearly centered, below.

First, you see that the image isn't that symmetrical - it was shot from slightly left of mid-ship (you see more of the ship's starboard (right) side than of its port side).

More visible, though, is that there is a sense of enclosure set up by the dock and mooring line on the right. The left side of the image does not balance that mass. Your eye sees open water and wants to know what is happening to the left of the ship, but your field of view is uncomfortably boxed in.

Which battleship composition would you say is more balanced? More rewarding to view?

Thirds make Good Photo Composition

Compositions fare really well when the subject is centered on one of the intersections of the vertical and horizontal third-lines. To experience this nirvana, center your image on one of the small circles, below:

The ultimate usage of the Rule of Thirds grid - Use the intersection points.

House on Mirror Lake, Lake Placid, NY

Minolta Dimage 7Hi, Built-in Zoom @ 200mm ISO 200, 1/60s, f/3.5 Subject centered on bottom-right third-point creates pleasing, balanced photo composition, with open space to the upper left.

Here is an example that leverages the bottom-right third point of the frame. That works well because the stepped shape of the left side of the house invites the eye to the open space of the upper left.

Orientation Options
As you look at this image, think also about the orientation of the image frame. This portrait framing reinforces the vertical aspects of the image: the trees and the reflections.

If you consider portrait (vertical), landscape (horizontal), and square orientations combined with the four key third-points, you have twelve different possibilities for composing your image by the rule of thirds, alone.

Frame Proportions
Consider the proportions of the frame. In this example, the frame adheres to the proportions of a golden rectangle. The two examples that follow use the same golden proportions, but explore use of different third-points and add a landscape orientation.

Review Your Options
Each of the three compositions has something to its credit. Review the analysis below, then see if you agree that the top example is best (you don't have to agree - composition is subjective, after all - but do think about why you agree or don't agree).

Mouse over the images to see how the rule of thirds (in red) applies. The gray bars show how the compositions divide into two areas.

The portrait orientation, with the house at the top-right third-point tries to create the same roomy, open space to the top left. But, there isn't much room left for that. The house's reflection isn't strong enough to drive the eye to the open space to the bottom left where most of the open space is. The result is that this composition feels split in two along the shoreline.

In the landscape orientation, using the bottom-left third-point, the shoreline and breadth of the lake create a horizontal feel. The shoreline is also nearly at the lower third-line, which lends balance from top to bottom. What doesn't work as well is having the house on the left of the image. The hard vertical right line of the house serves to divide the image into two pieces. The better location for the house is the bottom-right third point, as for the first composition. In this case, however, that would have exposed some unsightly structures to the left of the house (not shown here).

Learn more about the rule of thirds as applied in fine art...