Today, I'd like to go over the basics of the Rule of Thirds. According to Renaissance painters, in most cases, the eye does not rest on the center of the photo; because of this, we basically "off-center" the subject, which also adds a bit of extra background. Understanding this will go a long way in making your photos look much better. In this rule, the frame is divided into nine parts. It looks like this:
Some cameras can actually display this on the viewfinder or LCD screen; others you must imagine it. The basic idea here is to place your subject on one of the four green dots.
One mistake many people make when composing their pictures is placing the horizon dead center. Ever wonder why all of your beach photos look the same? Try moving the horizon to the upper or the lower third of the screen. When you move the horizon to the bottom third of the frame, you have composed a sky shot. When the horizon is in the top third of the frame, you have composed a land shot. Try both and see what you like.
Examples:
Washington, D.C.
The Washington Monument is placed in the left third, and the horizon is on the lower third. This puts a lot of emphasis on the Monument.
By using the Rule of Thirds, you can go a long way towards making your photographs look much more professional. However, you shouldn't use this rule on every photo. Think of portraits, for example. Each photograph is unique, and it is up to you, the photographer, to compose each and every one of them!
*Note: I will add more examples as soon as possible!
