Guy McLaren

Today I want to tell you what the rule of thirds is. I want to talk about its origins and its value to photographers. Artists through the years going back into antiquity found that balanced artworks had no real zing. They realised that having the focal point off center was the best way to make paintings pop.

In essence making use of this rule ensures that you don’t have paintings split in half by the focal point or horizons and the like. They allow the painting to appear more natural and lifelike, giving focus as such.

The facts are that if the subject of the painting or photograph is centered in the frame, you focus on the center of the image and ignore the rest of the image. Lets study this and see it on a couple of old masterpieces. Note how your focus is drawn to the baby’s head and then you move through the painting and see the rest of it. Also note the positioning of the mother’s face. This allows you to be drawn into the painting.

Mother and child

The next image we are going to look at is the one of the ladies and the dog. Note how the klatch is happening on the one third line and the dogs head is on the one intersection. The dogs face is an immediate draw card to focus on then your eyes start taking in the ladies, thereafter you will start taking cognisance of the scenery. If artists were doing this 500 years ago who are we to argue.

Ladies and the dog

Next I am going to show you a couple of photos I took to show you how this effect improves your photography. The first picture is the boy and the ball. The image draws you to the boy but the rest of the image does not attract any attention whatsoever. We are not looking to see where the ball is heading, the background has no interest. All in all the photograph does not create interest in the game or the situation.

Another football shot which is only marginally better because you are drawn to the interaction between the boy and the ball before you move into the image to follow the game.

the footie match

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