Photography: The Beauty of the Rule of Thirds

When I started my hobby in photography, the first rule/technique I learned was the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is probably of the most well known technique in photography because of how common it is used. To put it simply, the rule of thirds is when the subject of the photo isn't at the center of the photo but off to the sides or above/below the center. This makes the photo seem more appealing to the human eye. This isn't the end of the story though. There is much more to the rule of thirds.

Rule of Thirds by Quora

The basic principle of the rule of thirds is that if you divide an image into nine boxes using four lines, points of interests that fall on said lines and intersections of those lines the photo's composition becomes more balanced and natural. This is because your eyes will often focus on those invisible intersections on the invisible lines. This is evidenced by this article by Digital Photography School. This doesn't just end here though.

When taking portraits following the rule of thirds it is a good idea to put the face of the subject on one of the intersections of the lines. This will make the viewer's eyes fall on to the subject making the photo seem more natural, overall improving the photo's composition as a whole. When taking landscape photos with a distinctive horizon line, like a picture of an ocean, it is common to put the horizon line on one of the horizontal lines on the grid or near it because that's where the eyes of the viewer is going to fall.

Hopefully you have found use of this new found knowledge useful and I hope you have a wonderful time using it!

Cover Image Credit: Rule of Thirds by Photography Mad