The Rule of Thirds Simplified

You would have come across hundreds of photographs where the main subject is in the middle of the frame. You probably might find those

photographs uninteresting and perhaps even boring and monotonous. It would be a pity because some shot-worthy moments are hard to come by, and

should have been shot to invoke interest.

As an avid photographer, I always ask myself this question whenever I am composing a frame: ?

What story am I going to tell with this shot?? It could be a beggar lying on the street or a giraffe sticking its tongue out; a good

photograph should convey the same emotions or feelings invoked by the subject to anyone viewing it as what the photographer would be feeling when he

took the shot.

I find that a common way of composing the shot is to frame the main subject (the person) at the centre of the photograph,

especially when people go on holidays. The flaw of this is that the subject obscures the background (i.e. the sky, buildings, scenery, etc) and nothing is

seen of the beautiful scenery, or activities going on in the background. Unless you are going for a portrait, you should avoid taking shots of the subject

obscuring the background (which could be very much more interesting!).

Next, allow me to explain the Rule of Thirds which will help you to add

dynamism to your photos. I used to take shots that were pretty normal and nothing to excite anyone who sees them. But ever since I practiced the Rule of

Thirds when composing shots, I have had friends and colleagues compliment me on my pictures. You can too ? just follow closely to what I will be

explaining in the next section.

The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds can be found in basically any textbook on

photography as it can make your photos stand out among the rest. The method involves dividing the entire frame into thirds both horizontally and

vertically. Imagine drawing three lines across horizontally and another three lines vertically so that you divide your image into 9 squares. When composing

your shot, just place the more important elements (people, animals, trees and interesting subjects) either along these lines or at where the lines

intersect.

Try it out! Pick up your digital camera and aim it at a friend. Place your friend?s eyes where the top horizontal line is, or where the top

horizontal line meets the leftmost or rightmost vertical line. Depress the shutter button and you should have a nicely balanced and interesting picture.

Most importantly, it helps to eliminate the common problem of ?too much space at the sides? because you did not fill up the frame

sufficiently.

Conclusion

Though the Rule of Thirds has helped me to better my shots, I find that it is just a guideline and

that sometimes better shots can be achieved though you do not adhere to it. As every photo moment is unique, the Rule of Thirds is one of the rules you

need to practice with discretion sometimes. Nonetheless I am confident that this guideline will help you to achieve some breathtaking shots. So,

remember to apply the Rule of Thirds the next time you are composing a shot!

The author is an avid photographer who enjoys taking photographs of flowers and small pets. Needless to say, it cost

him a bomb and burnt a big hole in his pocket. He has caught the "buy-and-buy" virus and he has burnt another hole in his pocket for some new glass but

he thinks it is worth it.

His website which recommends the best buys on the internet can be found at http://www.ebayholic.info/

His personal blog can be found at http://mazatello.blogspot.com/