It turns out that a professional camera is not the key to high-quality photography. It turns out that Photoshop is sometimes not enough to correct errors when shooting. It becomes known that the work of a photographer is no less easy than any other, as it requires a huge amount of knowledge, skills and abilities. The rules of the third in photography are just one aspect, but every self-respecting photographer must take them into account. What do they consist of and how to use them correctly?
A little bit about...
The rules of thirds in photography are included in the basics of composition. This is a kind of golden section of photography.
Being an important component, the rule of thirds in photography, examples of the use of which will be discussed later, is applicable to almost any chosen genre. It is well suited for portraiture and landscape photography . This makes it a versatile weapon for hitting a high-class target right in the top ten.
Is it worth blindly following?
Definitely not. Strict and strict adherence to the rules does not lead to good in art, but the rule of three-thirds in photography can always be the starting point for creating a masterpiece.
And in order to use it correctly, you need to properly understand what it represents, what advantages it gives the creator, what its attractiveness is and how, with its help, the very ideal balance that any photo artist strives for is achieved.
Balance in everything!
Balance is that which is everywhere in nature. Everything natural aspires to balance, therefore it should also be achieved in the artificial. Ultimately, all that a person does is merely a reflection of what is already in nature. He draws his ideas from her, she is his best assistant and adviser.
The term "photo artist" has already been used a little higher. Everything is clear with the photo, but why is this second half of this definition chosen? Well, a photographer, in a sense, is also an artist holding a well-known instrument in his hand instead of a brush. To get a good result, it is not enough for him to simply press the shutter button and capture the moment: before that, you should evaluate the composition of the future frame. It is a pity that not everyone understands this, but nevertheless it is.
What is a composition?
Roughly speaking, the composition is a whole set of various techniques that help to correctly place objects. The correct arrangement will allow individual particles to assemble into a single picture, which, in fact, will be nice to watch. The rule of thirds is the main component of the composition along with the rule of the golden ratio , the rules of diagonals, etc.
Essentially, the rule of thirds is a simplified version of the golden ratio. In the original version, more complicated calculations were used, closely related to Fibonacci numbers. The Golden Ratio is one of the principles that any photo artist must know, but this article is about thirds.
What is the rule of thirds?
The mental division of the image into nine parts (3 x 3 - three vertically, the same number horizontally), moreover, they should be equal - this is the description of the rule of thirds. In photography, it is important. The described division is a grid of two horizontal and vertical lines. Objects should be located at their intersections or along them.
What is the idea?
When using this principle, as a rule of thirds, the photo becomes more pleasant for the eyes and more natural, because its important elements are not located right in the middle of the frame. Also gives more space for imagination and fantasy.
Photography does not change dramatically, but the significance is attached to the subject. What is it based on? When a person looks at the picture as a whole in reality, focusing on one thing at the same time, he needs at the same time that the surrounding elements do not interfere, but are combined with the object. Of course, such a description is not suitable for a minute glance, but a long peer into the distance suggests just that. The photographer’s task is to express what the viewer should pay attention to (what was to be focused on will be focused on the frame, because it will no longer be possible to use the focus of one’s own eye on the final result). To put an object right in the center in this case, which comes to mind first, is a very crude solution to the problem and, as already mentioned above, very unnatural, like a lie sewn with white thread.
How can I use it?
You should mentally imagine the grid, highlight the important elements of the future frame and place them near the lines. It is worth remembering that there may not be a perfect match, but an approximate need to be achieved. The grid is the reference component for shooting. This is art, and therefore there can be no "exactly at the point". You can play with the lines, arrange the composition as you wish. If time and technology allow, you can take several different frames to compare the result and see the difference. Without understanding the idea itself, nothing will come of it, and blind following will lead to the fact that all photos will be taken as if according to one pattern. But therein lies the advantage of the rule of thirds in photography: it is so simple, so universal, and at the same time gives so many options for using it. All ingenious is simple. The same comparison with nature: it is like a sunset, the beauty of which is so undeniable that a person admires him for millennia, and he is different every day. But from metaphors we will return to realities.
Perhaps the position from which the survey will be taken will have to be changed. It's nothing. A balanced and thoughtful approach to photographing is a great habit. Yes, modern technology allows you to “click” up to hundreds of frames in a minute, but at such moments it will be very useful to recall the photo masters who worked with the film when each frame was incredibly valuable, and you had to guess its parameters at random, never knowing what would happen in in the end, and will it work at all.
To help the photographer
Manufacturers of some cameras advocate for their users, adding the device the ability to turn on and substitute the grid. This is a visual representation, and the photographer can master the rule of three-thirds in photography without imagining the lines mentally.
Incidentally, an interesting fact: the rule is common as the principle of three-thirds. This is not entirely true. In fact, this is a two-thirds rule in photography. But it does not matter how to call it, it is important how to apply it. The tips below for each type of photograph will help.
Where to apply: tips
As mentioned above, universality is the rule of thirds. Portrait or landscape, or macro photography, or moving objects - it applies everywhere.
For a landscape, it is better to place the horizon along one of the grid lines, and not in the middle, so as not to create the feeling of dividing a photo frame into two equal halves. The object in the foreground sets the focus point, and it should be placed also in accordance with the principle of the rule. If the object is large, it is better to move it to the side so that it does not split the picture in two.
When a person looks at a portrait, he always pays attention to the eyes of the man (or woman, child, etc.) depicted in the photo. Therefore, the focus should be precisely on them, and it is best to place them on the upper horizontal line of the grid.
For a moving object, it is good to leave space in the direction that is the direction of movement.
When shooting a person at full height, it would be nice to put him along one of the vertical grid lines.
Power points
Despite the fact that the principle of the rule itself is based on equal division, it is known that the influence of the lower right point is stronger than that of the lower left. This means that if a photograph has several objects, then the most important of them should be located near the first named intersection.
Crop as a way to enhance photography
Residents are used to crop photos to remove unnecessary details from the overall picture. Masters remove them in Photoshop using their secret tricks, since cropping (the same cropping, in fact) gives an advantage in another. Indeed, thanks to him, you can make the frame inherit the rules of thirds. "Photoshop" or another photo editing program is able to improve the overall picture in this simple way by moving the subject to a more suitable place in accordance with the rule.
Rules invented in order to break them
And the rule of thirds is no exception. Yes, it is the basis of the composition, but if you feel it, this very composition, intuitively, then violating the principle described above, you can get something interesting, perhaps even brighter and more expressive than it would have happened to him. Nobody forbade to experiment! It is even useful.
But here's the thing: in order to break the rule for the benefit of yourself, you must first learn to follow it.