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BEGINNING PHOTOGRAPHY
How To (Correctly) Use the “Rule of Thirds” Grid
If used well, it’s a powerful device to learn about composition
After researching the Rule of Thirds history, I was contacted by many readers who noted that it was still a good way to start, even if it’s not historic nor a solid rule for composition. Everyone has to start somewhere easy. Others have said that it seemed to be useful to teach, even if they weren’t sure why it seemed to be something to understand. “Learn it and forget it.” I thought I’d show how I think of this “rule.”
The Rule of Thirds in photography is a compositional tip suggesting that images often look more pleasing when the subject is placed off-center in the frame — not dead center, and not too near the edge. This is frequently illustrated by placing an imaginary (or literal) grid over an image, with lines at 1/3 and 2/3 both horizontally and vertically; photo subjects can be nudged toward the intersections of this grid to have an off-center composition. It was never intended to be exacting.
The rule of thirds is a perfectly good tip. But interestingly, whether you agree or not with the aesthetics of the guideline, it quietly coaxes students into compositional thinking and compositional skills. It’s the right beginner’s practice, but…
