Archive for rule of thirds
Leading Lines of Composition
Posted by: | CommentsTwelve Elements of Composition
Tips for Remarkable Photographs
Part 12-Leading Lines
Solitude
This is one of my favorite images. I was photographing a high school senior boy on his horse by the barn on his farm when I happened to look to my right and saw this horse perfectly set up! The only thing I can think of to make this image even better was to photograph this at a later time of day with the long shadows of evening.
This photograph, called Solitude, combines so many elements in one image. The more elements in a photograph the more interesting the image becomes.
We have already discussed the Rule of Thirds in lesson number two. The horse is standing in the left third of the image.
It is also helpful that the horse is leading your attention into the photo with his head rather than directing your eye out of the image by looking to the left. We discussed this in lesson ten.
The fence coming into the image and drawing your attention toward the horse is an example of leading lines. The fence takes your eye right to the horse. This is a strong compositional element you typically have to really search for. You may need to change your shooting position to make the most use of it. The fence would loose its leading line effect if I was to shoot straight into it. It would become flat and just part of the background. A leading line needs to run in at an angle. I love the fact that it ends at the horse and does not go clear to the left side of the image. I think it is stronger this way.
We really have not discussed framing yet either. This is a good example of it with the tree above holding your eye in the image. As it fills about a third of the frame, it gives us a second rule of third element.
The light color of the horse pops from the scenery without being too contrasty. There is plenty of detail in the highlights and shadows making this an ideal image for my wall decor line.
About Barb
Barb Gordon, of www.BarbGordonPhotoCoach.com, is a Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) to which she has belonged since 1984. She is a nationally published and award winning photographer, entrepreneur, speaker, and author including being published in the prestigious PPA Loan Collection 2006, PPA Showcase 2003, twice named Iowa’s Top Ten Photographer of the Year, and 2010 Iowa’s Master Photographer of the Year.
The Rule of Thirds
Posted by: | CommentsTwelve Elements of Composition
Tips for Remarkable Photographs
Part 2-The Rule of Thirds or The Intersection of Thirds
This is my most used technique to create emphasis and interest. Almost every image I take has this compositional element to it.
The flower is in the right third and the lower third at the same time. This adds more interest than centering. I added the grid lines to demonstrate dividing an image up into horizontal and vertical thirds creating nine squares. Where the lines intersect are the strongest areas of subject placement.
How do you know what third to use? The lady in our next example is looking off in the distance to our left. In order to give her room to view we want to leave space for her on the left. If she was looking to the right I would reverse that and give her viewing room to the right.
When centering the above subject, she looks trapped. There is nothing to her back that is interesting and necessary to the story. When we recompose the image and she is moved to the right third, she has room to look outward. The element of space and the location itself with cool windows adds interest. If this was an advertisement for hair products, I probably would not crop out a lock of her hair, but since the attention is supposed to go to her face, I prefer placing her to the right at the 1/3 position.
This is Galet, a resident jewelry design artist I met at the Grand Wailea Hotel in Maui. I was so fascinated by her and her great hair, I really wanted to photograph her. The location adds to the story and part of my memories as it is the hotel where she displays her art, where I stayed while on vacation there, and where I met her. (Had I been able to get her in long sleeves to eliminate some of the skin distraction, I most certainly would have!)
Likewise, a moving subject, like a sports action photo, the subject won’t look quite right in the center of the image. It is not only for the balance of the image but to give the subject space to move, to throw the ball, to run, in the image.
Sometimes empty space is lonely isolation and the space is vital to the story.
Open space can also help emphasize scale of a subject or tell the importance of the subject’s story. Having other items in the photograph will also help with scale. This is particular good with children. You can see how tall they are getting when there are objects to compare their size to.
About Barb
Barb Gordon, of www.BarbGordonPhotoCoach.com, is a Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) to which she has belonged since 1984. She is a nationally published and award winning photographer, entrepreneur, speaker, and author including being published in the prestigious PPA Loan Collection 2006, PPA Showcase 2003, twice named Iowa’s Top Ten Photographer of the Year, and 2010 Iowa’s Master Photographer of the Year.
