The Rule of Thirds in my opinion should be the first rule of composition that beginner photographers learn and practice when composing photos. The rule is not restricted to a specific type of photography.

Here is a definition of the rule from Wikipedia:

“An image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.”

Let’s have a look at the following examples and see how the rule of thirds is applied when composing the photos.

 Compositional element along horizontal line

If you slice the photo in three equal parts horizontally, you will notice that 2/3 of the photo is the sea, and 1/3 is the sky. I applied the rule horizontally along the upper horizon line, pointed by the arrow i.e. where the sky meets the sea. The other important aspect of this composition is that the mountain is placed equidistant from the two vertical lines. Both these considerations create balance in the photo, which is pleasing to the eye.

Compositional element along horizontal and vertical lines

In this photo, you will observe that, looking from the bottom upwards, the land meets the sky 1/3rd of the way on the lower horizontal line. The lonely tree not only stands on the right vertical line, but the tree top is placed at the point where the horizontal and the vertical lines intersect. Because of the rule of thirds, there is stability in this composition which lends a natural balance and satisfying feeling to the image.

Compositional element at the point of intersection

When composing this image I made sure that the “object of interest”, i.e. the cliff-hanger, is not only placed along the right vertical line but also at the intersection point of the right vertical and the upper horizontal lines. This way, the sense of drama is accentuated and the viewer is able to feel the challenge that this brave person faced while contemplating his next move on such a difficult mountain.

Try to apply Rule of Thirds when you are composing your shot. Sometimes it is not possible to get it right on location; this may of course be corrected when cropping the image in post processing. The modern post processing tools help you crop using the rule of thirds efficiently and easily.

All of this being said, keep in mind that you are not restricted to follow it in your photographic compositions.  Think of it as more of a guideline that will help you making beautiful compositions.

Muji