The rule of thirds

[Mrs Reschsmooth]

Hi everyone

I recently learnt about the rule of thirds from my husband and can say that I had never really heard alot about it.
I'm wondering how many people conciously use it when taking photos? I know I tried to the other day and STILL couldn't get the thirds right, maybe it's because I'm pregnant, or maybe it's because it doesn't always work when you think about it too much.

Anyway, love to hear who uses it conciously!

Alicia

[Alpha_7]

I keep it in mind when framing some of my shots, but I treat it only as a guideline so sometimes will compose the shot so it fits the rule of thirds and other times compose it however I feel like it.

[jamesw]

im a fan of it

[daniel81]

Having studied design, the rule of thirds/golden mean (1-1:6) are always in the back of my mind when it comes to composition. Having things aesthetically correct is very important to achieving a successful shot IMO.

[zafra52]

Yes, I have read a lot about it and I try to use it, but it depends a great deal on the subject or the action in the scene you are photographing. Some time it works; other times it doesn't.

[Matt. K]

The rule of thirds can be so cliche! If my image naturally falls into that concept of composition then I take it. I will rarely consciously use it. I will often consciously try and break the rule. However....every image decides it own arrangement.

[Nnnnsic]

I don't use it per se, but it might be naturally part of the way I think now so I can't be sure. We're taught a lot of stuff in Uni for composition and it just becomes a part of the way you think.

[sirhc55]

My forte is photography, maths does not come into the ”picture” at all

[Matt. K]

Leigh
Are you saying that they brainwashed you at uni? And this whilst they were claiming to train you to be creative?

[jethro]

Just getting a good result is what matters
Jethro

[Nnnnsic]

Leigh
Are you saying that they brainwashed you at uni? And this whilst they were claiming to train you to be creative?

That's implying I have a brain, Matt.

And they more try to brainwash you to think in a contemporary art form... which means take a picture of something useless and try to pull and even more useless form of philosophy and conceptual thinking out of it.

I just took pictures of things that made others laugh.

But yes... some people were brainwashed and the rest of us thought independently. Teaching someone to think in the rule of thirds is no different to teaching someone a way to hold a camera.

[phillipb]

I seem to use it but not consciously.

[Pa]

i think if we all use it all the time photography can become boring. it's like every thing rules are there to be broken.


cheers pa

[Reschsmooth]

I use the rule of thirds so I can understand it, plus as many other 'standards' of photography so I can better learn how to break these standards.

Besides, I have a fundamental belief in the beauty of 1.61803...

[Yi-P]

I don't purposely put it on use, but it suddenly becomes something I do unconsciously at many times.

I've learned about it, adapted it, and learning to break it. How ironic it is unfortunately...

[poompy]

i mainly use it for landscape photography and now macro work, but it is always in the back of my head.

[BT*ist]

You have to know it in order to break it. The way it was introduced to me was more along the lines of it generally being bad to have the horizon in the MIDDLE of a shot. Once I accepted that, it became more of an issue of where to place the horizon, if not in the centre.

On the vertical part of the equation, I'm a bit more ambivalent because I think I never really compose my photos that way. It's probably not a good idea to generally have a tree in the middle of a panorama, though, I would think.

Incidentally, I've just taken a look at the 16 photos I have plastered on my desk wall on the basis of "I like them". The rule of thirds appears to have been cheerfully disregarded for the majority, so perhaps I'll have to declare my vote invalid?

[Oneputt]

When framing in the viewfinder I am always conscious of it, but sincerely believe that like all rules it is there to be broken if the occassion demands.

[stubbsy]

I take my shots then when people saay how excellent they are I see if the rule of thirds can be appliedf to the image. If it can I say it proves how I got the shot by using the rule. If it doesn't I say it proves rules are meant to be broken. If the shot is crap same story, but the other way around.

[ozimax]

Yep, I think I use it subconsciously most of the time and usually enjoy the results. However, numbers of people have remarked when looking at one of my photos, "Why isn't the subject in the middle?"

Answer? Because it isn't, that's why.

Ozi.

[Mr Darcy]

I generally try it when I have the time to compose a shot, but as I like candids, I frequently don't get the time. I often don't even get the viewfinder up to my eye.

However, when I do try it, I decide whether it adds anything to the image or not. If it does, I use it. If not...

[ATJ]

I have always tried to use it where appropriate. I seem to find so many situations where it isn't appropriate.

[Killakoala]

I voted YES because some of my images comply to the rule of thirds.

However i compose the image in my head before i look through the viewfinder so if the composition falls into the RO1/3 order, then so be it.

I don't purposefully use it, not normally anyway.

[BullcreekBob]

G'day

So it would seem that 1/3 of us don't use the rule and 2/3 of us do use the rule. Is that an example that the rule applies to all sorts of things?