Framed by the light
When it comes to photographic composition, there is no rule greater than the Rule of Thirds. This rule of composition is not new. It stems from the Fibonacci Theory, also known as the Golden Mean, the Golden Ratio or the Fibonacci Spiral. It is a pattern in nature in which a spiral galaxy is laid out, the arc a hawk takes when diving at its prey and even a sunflower seed follows this patten when it grows. It is a pattern that we see everyday in nature, therefore it only makes sense that because we subconsciously are aware of it, our photographic compositions will be stronger if we apply this theory to them.
In a nutshell, the Rule of Thirds is a lazy mans Fibonacci Curve. It is not exact, but close. I think if we are aware of this theory and then compose our images from the heart, not from a grid, more often than not the image will line up with the Fibonacci curve. What the rule of thirds states is that if we divide the frame into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, the intersecting points are the strongest points in the composition. Our subject should then be placed at on of those points. The following is an illustration of the Rule of Thirds.
The intersecting points onthe grid are the strongest points to place the main subject.
This is the first theory that I discuss with my classes in their composition unit, as it can be applied to almost any photographic situation. This is the rule that we build on to make even better photographs throughout the year. As we apply line, framing and other compositional rules and concepts of design in our photography, we can still use the rule of thirds along with them to make our photographs even stronger.
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