Rule of thirds

Composition is Key
What makes a GREAT photograph?

Composition
• placement or arrangement of visual elements in art
• organization of the elements of art according to the
principles of design
• means 'putting together' and can apply to any work
• helps achieve a sense
of unity within an
artwork
• work of art is said to be
aesthetically pleasing
if the elements within the
work are arranged in a
balanced compositional
way

In every photograph you take…
• you decide where the boundaries of
that photo will be (cropping)
• you choose the viewpoint or
perspective
• you move or rearrange people or
objects
• you move yourself and decide where to
place point of interest

Good vs. Bad?
• biggest difference between a good photograph
and a mediocre one is the composition
• what one person finds pleasing, someone else will
not – composition is largely a matter of personal
taste, so technically there is no right or wrong
composition…

• a photograph that
communicates its
message (says what you
want it to say, says it
clearly, and interests its
viewer) – is an effective
composition
• how you arrange a scene in your camera will
determine the effectiveness of your picture and
contribute to how well the message is conveyed
• there is more to good composition than the
placement of elements, but that is where we start
Good vs. Bad?

Rule of Thirds
aligning a subject with
these points creates
more tension, energy
and interest in the
composition than
simply centering the
subject would
Compositional rule in
the visual arts
image should be
imagined as divided
into nine equal parts
by two equally-spaced
horizontal lines and
two equally-spaced
vertical lines
important
compositional
elements should be
placed along these
lines or their
intersections

Consider…
Where am I
intentionally placing
my points of interest?
What are the points of
interest in this shot?
Breaking the rule can
result in some striking
shots… once you’ve
learned it, experiment
with purposely
breaking it to see what
you discover.
Keep the rule of thirds
in mind as you edit
your photos later on…
cropping and
reframing images so
that they fit within the
rules.

Practice
3. With a ruler,
measure the sides
and divide by 3,
drawing lines with a
Sharpie to create a
9 square grid.
1. Choose a magazine
to find photographs
you might like.
2. Cut out 3 pictures
that the composition
uses the Rule of Thirds
successfully.
5. Glue your images
into your sketchbook.
Sketchbook DUE:
Finish your Rule of
Thirds Sketchbook
assignment by the
end of class!
** Worth 10 points **
4. Repeat this for all 3
images.

Brainstorming
3. For EACH, draw
two different
thumbnails showing
where you will place
your focal point.
1. List 5 different things
you can photograph
for the Rule of Thirds
assignment, and
include what the focal
point is.
2. For EACH, list two
different backgrounds
that could be part of
your photographs.
Brainstorming DUE:
Finish your Rule of
Thirds Brainstorming
assignment by
Monday, 9/21!
** Worth 50 points **

Practice
Homework:
Take 40 pictures
experimenting with
Rule of Thirds. Take
pictures of anything
you’d like… go for a
walk around the house
or go outside
Tips:
Try taking pictures of
the same subject and
compose using the
Rule of Thirds and
going against it.
40 pictures (uploaded
to Google Drive)
DUE: Thursday,
September 24

Do & Don’t
DO make sure the background or
“negative space” is visually
interesting.
DON’T have a boring or
unattractive background –
“dead space”.

Do & Don’t
DO leave some space around
your focal point – watch your
framing.
DON’T overcompensate by
putting your point of
interest too close to the
edge of the frame.

Rule of thirds

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Rule of thirds