One of the most well known rules of photography is The Rule of Thirds. This rule is used in all forms of art to explain how to create a visually pleasing image.  The rule of thirds was around in art before photography even existed. This technique can be traced as far back as 1797 and some believe it goes back even further.  It was believed that for a composition to seem more pleasing and interesting, an imaginary grid of nine equal parts should be drawn and the most important information should be placed in the outer thirds and along the four intersections. This is illustrated below.

Do

Place  the main point of interest and other important elements near the intersections of vertical and horizontal lines at 1/3 points of the frame.

Don’t

A simpler explanation of the rule of thirds is, “Don’t put your most important information right in the middle of the shot.”

Try and avoid “floating”parts of your image or not anchoring some point of the information to one of the lines in the frame.  Avoid putting visual information in the 5th square (dead centre).

Questions to ask when thinking about the rule of thirds:

• What are the most important areas of visual information in my shot?
• Where am I going to put those?

The Rule of Thirds: Take it? Or Leave it?

Like most rules, breaking the rule of thirds can be just as satisfactory or interesting as upholding it.  It is best to play around and experiment to find a shot that best suits what you’re aiming to do with the photo and your particular subject matter. Remember, the rule of thirds became a rule because people agreed it just looked good.

KoodibooK is about preserving and sharing your memories in a unique way while giving you the best possible when you create a photo book.  The KoodibooK software allows you to access your photos at amazing speed from wherever they are stored and use them to create photobooks that can be previewed in 3-D, published online for free and printed professionally. Create a photo book here!

Have you ever framed the perfect shot of someone at sunset or of your family in front of the fire only to later look at the shot and find everyone’s faces completely shaded over?  Or are you sick of deleting red-eyes from your photos every time?  Where your camera is located relative to the light source and subject makes all the difference in avoiding these unwanted scenarios.  The difference between an average photo and a fantastic photo can come down to something as simple as the angle and position from which you shoot the photo.  Here is a basic tip for positioning yourself and your camera.

This may seem obvious but try to always have the light source behind you and facing your subject.  This will illuminate the subject, revealing maximum detail without interfering with the balance of light in the photo.  We say try because while this is ideal, various factors such as people, availability of light and geographical limitations (well you can’t move the mountains or the sun!) can make this impossible or impractical.  Photographing people who have a bright light source shining in their faces may illuminate the subjects but may also give you a picture full of squinting faces.  And of course if you are taking a photo of a sunset over a mountain there is no point in trying to take a photo with the light behind you.

So the next time you pick your camera (or phone) to take a shot, remember…positioning yourself well will make a difference! See more photography tips here.

KoodibooK is about preserving and sharing your memories in a unique way while giving you the best possible experience when you make your own personalised photo book.  The KoodibooK software allows you to access your photos at amazing speed from wherever they are stored and use them to create photobooks that can be previewed in 3-D, published online for free and printed professionally.