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a photo study: rule of thirds

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Photography is an art form and as such need not rely on rules.  Yet, it is important for the photographer to keep in mind that the composition rules help create balanced, dynamic, and interesting images that invite a viewer to stay and visit in comfort.

The Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is the element of composition that begins with dividing an image into thirds, horizontally and vertically, creating nine imagined sections.  

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The theory is that if you place your subject in the intersections or along the lines, your image becomes more balanced and will enable the viewer to interact with the story more naturally.  

With the rule of thirds in mind, it is recommended that the photographer should compose a photographer by asking, 

“what are the points of interest in this shot?”

“where am I intentionally placing them?”

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Studies show that the human eye naturally is drawn more to one of the four intersection points than the the center of the image.  Yet, sometimes a photographer finds that placing the subject right in the middle of the frame makes for a more interesting composition. 

Centering

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“Breaking” the rule of thirds opens the door to symmetry, creating balance on both sides of the image as well as the top and bottom. 

We find beauty in natural symmetry. A butterfly, for example, has perfect symmetry when it opens its wings. Snowflakes, flowers and seashells also gift us with the beauty of balance.   

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Depth of field

Scenes that feature a shallow depth of field may also not require rule of thirds placement. That’s because a shallow depth of field creates dimension in a photograph, and our eyes are drawn into images that have dimension. You will look into a shallow background even when you can’t identify what’s there, because your eye automatically wants to move through a scene that seems to have depth and dimension.

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Love to hear your thoughts about rule of thirds and see how you use this basic composition tool in your creative endeavors.

I hope you enjoy Saurav Sinha’s discussion about composition.

we never just ‘see’…

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Spring Creek…Nikon D750    f/4.5   1/2,000    85mm   100 ISO

“…we never just ‘see’ something in the sense that a photographic plate receives rays of light.  In the real world we bring a lot of our selves to the party. And that means gaze alters what it finds.”

cited: Iain McGilchrist, The Master and his Emissary

a sundowner

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Nikon D750   f/4.5   1/3,200   48mm   100 ISO

“About twelve years ago, I met a homeless woman who identified herself as a sundowner.   She described how each evening’s sun invited her to settle down along the side of her life’s path so that her journey could begin afresh in the morning sun.  She eloquently described an undercurrent of yearning that ebbed and flowed throughout her soul and how, in her past days, she found herself at the mercy of private memories, thoughts, and imaginations and had encountered, time and time again, various degree of discontent despite the seemingly fulfilling qualities of her life.

As I hear the suffering within women who story their lives through the multi-colored threads of substance use, I find myself acknowledging a similarity within each of these unique stories with my own metaphysical search for someone, something, or some place that remains beyond the forever next horizon.  Each of our unique narratives reveal an unending wandering with satchels of discontent that tell of a spiritual emptiness and an emotional intimacy with a homesickness for a place one knows cannot be.”

~B Catherine Koeford (A Meditative Journey with Saldage)

a photo study: the photographer II

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Looking for curves…Nikon D750    f/7.1    1/80s   35mm   100 ISO

“Photography is a medium where one admires the work done by others…It is great to admire the work of other people, but it’s necessary to have one’s own distinctive style…I would rather be a mediocre photographer than an excellent imitator..the best thing I have ever heard about my work is when someone said, “that is unmistakably a Ralph Gibson photograph…” ~Ralph Gibson

During a taped interview with COOPH, Ralph Gibson shares a koan that was offered to him by Dorothea Lange, “Oh, I see your problem Ralph you have no point of departure.”

To which Ralph replied, “That’s true Dorothea. What is the point of departure?

“Well if you have your camera and you’re going down to the drugstore to buy toothpaste…you have an objective to buy toothpaste…you might then intersect something worth photographing. But if you just walk around the street looking for something to shoot you will never achieve very much.”

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Looking for geometric shapes….Nikon D750   f/7.1   0.4s  24mm   100 ISO

Ralph Gibson has expanded his initial understanding of a point of departure.  It guides him to be looking for an unusual point of interest or perspective in an ordinary frame. To help achieve this point of departure, he notes, “Take your camera everywhere with you… If you have your camera in tow, chances are that you might come across a striking frame. But, if you just stand at the corner of a street and wait for something to happen, you will never get a picture.”

“To have a point of departure is not to go out and shoot. It’s to have a project in mind and going out looking for a shot that represents or showcases this emotion or concept that your project is about.” ~Ralph Gibson

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looking for shadows…Nikon D750   f/7.1  1/30s   35mm   100 ISO

“From now on, before I go shoot, I’ll consult internally to focus on one thing I want to capture, and have that point of departure. It’ll give purpose to my work and me being out there. The advantages are that I’ll learn patience, presence and a deeper sense of observation. This is a powerful and deep message…have a point of departure.” ~Ralph Gibson

  1. Find your point of departure….decide what to photograph. ”Is it the who or the what I’m photographing…?”  What is it I’m looking for in…?
  2.  Establish a visual signature…when you look at the work of somebody you admire that photographer has a visual signature to their work.  It is because their way of looking is something you recognize…how they are perceiving the world…
  3. Don’t listen to the critics…if you pay attention to what other people say about your work, you’re not going to really know very much about your own work. You’re going to know what they think about it but you’re not going to know why you do it.
  4. Be inspired…the key is not to get too inspired. Staying inspired is really the number one question in the creative person’s life.
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looking for shadows…Nikon 750   f/7.1   1/15s   35mm   100 ISO

“I have investigated a lot of ideas—I love taking pictures of nothing, of ordinary objects, maybe even just the corner of a room. I love flattening and even reducing things. When I photograph flesh, I like to make it look like a stone. But, when I am photographing a stone, I like to make it look alive. I love re-contextualising the quality of my subjects.”~Ralph Gibson

Why not take a few minutes to wander about a gallery of Ralph Gibson’s work:   http://www.ralphgibson.com/gallery.html

As I’ve noted before, I have enjoyed the process of sharing ideas and images.  I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts about point of departure.