Rule of Thirds Question

jdgreen92086 · Dec 28, 2007

So I'm trying to digest as much information as I can before I get my camera so I can have some idea of what to start photographing. I've been reading about the rule of thirds and it makes sense. But I need to know something and it's hard to explain... so I'll have to start up Photoshop and show you.

In the above picture is a what I've always seen when reading about rule of thirds. I understand it(I think).

Okay, this is what I want to ask. Since this is more of a vertical picture(cropped, right?) Would the rule of thirds work how my lines are? I drew the lines so they may be off. I did this quick, but wouldn't the horizontal lines be a bit closer if this did work?

Not sure if this is a silly question or not, but I hope you understand what I'm asking.

noobyy · Dec 28, 2007

yeap i do hmmn..interesting well to me it would not work..bcause the space between each line needs to be in proportion..

Garbz · Dec 28, 2007

Nope with the vertical orientation the eye follows the image vertically so the proportions hold true, and it's no where near as warped as you drew it. It's more about how the mind sizes up an image rather than what part of the image is cropped in.

photobug · Dec 28, 2007

Photoshop can aid you in determining where your lines are for a particular pic, or even a crop.

In Preferences/Guides, Grids & Slices you can set the grid to automagically give you Rules of Thirds lines. It's the Grid setting. Set it like this:

and then activate it either via the drop down menus or the hot-key combo (CMD, ' on the Mac, probably CTRL, ' on the PC). As long as it's activated it will overlay the lines on the pic as you crop/edit the pic.

And no, what you've got here really doesn't work.

jdgreen92086 · Dec 28, 2007

Okay, I wasn't sure. Thanks

photobug · Dec 28, 2007

Oh, wait! I meant that it doesn't follow the Rule of Thirds, not that it isn't a nice pic.

While the title says "Rule", it's just a guideline to follow.

elsaspet · Dec 28, 2007

An easy way to think of it, is to have the subject in either the top right or left, or at the bottom right or left. Steer clear of the middle.
If you have two subjects, one can be centered, but one needs to be in one of the upper or lower, right of left.

But then when you get used to that, you don't have to do it anymore. LOL.
Shoot what is pleasing to YOUR eye, and most likely, other folks will see it like you.

Mesoam · Dec 28, 2007

photography is in the eye not in the "rules"

Alex_B · Dec 28, 2007

There is no rule of thirds anyway ...

chente922 · Dec 28, 2007

dont get really into it a lot, as someone said, u'll get used to do that automatically, but well, it's not really a rule is just a guideline since "sometimes" it works to place the main subject in the dead center... anyways, rules are made to be broken so play with it when u get ur camera

Alex_B · Dec 28, 2007

chente922 said:
dont get really into it a lot, as someone said, u'll get used to do that automatically, but well, it's not really a rule is just a guideline since "sometimes" it works to place the main subject in the dead center... anyways, rules are made to be broken so play with it when u get ur camera

:thumbup: well said!

Big Mike · Dec 28, 2007

Like the others have said, it's just a guideline, not a 'rule' per say. However, there are reasons why it's still useful.

Here is some reading for you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio
http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag1-6/mag2-5mf1.shtml

jdgreen92086 · Dec 28, 2007

Great thanks everyone. I actually just received my camera about 2 hours ago, I got my camera bag set up poorly and I have my camera ready to rock. Too bad it's really wet outside, or I would mess around. Guess I'll have to make due in my home.

usayit · Dec 28, 2007

Alex_B said:
There is no rule of thirds anyway ...

More like a rule of thumb....

chente922 · Dec 28, 2007

dont get really into it a lot, as someone said, u'll get used to do that automatically, but well, it's not really a rule is just a guideline since "sometimes" it works to place the main subject in the dead center... anyways, rules are made to be broken so play with it when u get ur camera