Rule of Thirds | Manish Malli

Have you wondered why the grid on your camera screen is divided into 9 equal parts of the same ratio? What does it signify? And how does it help you in clicking the perfect frame? This is due to a certain 'Rule of Thirds' that's very popular in photography. Let's learn a little more about it.

What does the rule state?

'Rule of Thirds' is a compositional guideline that lets you place your subject (aka your point of focus) in one of the 3 quadrants of your frame. Using this guideline, if you compose a picture, it is considered well balanced and composed.

What makes it well balanced and composed?

You must have heard the phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words". Any photograph is a pause button, a frozen moment in a time frame. To tell a compelling story, a photograph needs a certain space in which it can freeze the subject and the surroundings and convey the emotion. The rule works on the principle that any story is incomplete without the right proportion of subject and its surrounding matter. By letting the subject occupy a third of the frame, it gives enough space for the surrounding to fit in and complete the story.

A few other versions

This rule is not only a compositional rule but something that is applicable to even light & shadow or depth of field. Any picture that approximately has a third of its frame dominated by bright light/dark shadow or even a contrasting colour tends to give out a feeling of it being well composed. What all other photography examples can you find that follow a similar rule?

What to avoid while following this rule?

Avoid placing your subject in a negative position. Capturing your subject while walking/moving out of the frame tends to give a feeling of incompleteness and you are left hanging by not knowing what happened there after.

Next time, as you scroll through your social media, pay attention to the photos you like and try to analyse how the Rule of Thirds was applied.

Hope this article helped you! Share your thoughts with me in the comments section. Happy clicking!

Have you wondered why the grid on your camera screen is divided into 9 equal parts of the same ratio? What does it signify? And how does it help you in clicking the perfect frame? This is due to a certain 'Rule of Thirds' that's very popular in photography. Let's learn a little more about it.

What does the rule state?

'Rule of Thirds' is a compositional guideline that lets you place your subject (aka your point of focus) in one of the 3 quadrants of your frame. Using this guideline, if you compose a picture, it is considered well balanced and composed.

What makes it well balanced and composed?

You must have heard the phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words". Any photograph is a pause button, a frozen moment in a time frame. To tell a compelling story, a photograph needs a certain space in which it can freeze the subject and the surroundings and convey the emotion. The rule works on the principle that any story is incomplete without the right proportion of subject and its surrounding matter. By letting the subject occupy a third of the frame, it gives enough space for the surrounding to fit in and complete the story.

A few other versions

This rule is not only a compositional rule but something that is applicable to even light & shadow or depth of field. Any picture that approximately has a third of its frame dominated by bright light/dark shadow or even a contrasting colour tends to give out a feeling of it being well composed. What all other photography examples can you find that follow a similar rule?

What to avoid while following this rule?

Avoid placing your subject in a negative position. Capturing your subject while walking/moving out of the frame tends to give a feeling of incompleteness and you are left hanging by not knowing what happened there after.

Next time, as you scroll through your social media, pay attention to the photos you like and try to analyse how the Rule of Thirds was applied.

Hope this article helped you! Share your thoughts with me in the comments section. Happy clicking!

Have you wondered why the grid on your camera screen is divided into 9 equal parts of the same ratio? What does it signify? And how does it help you in clicking the perfect frame? This is due to a certain 'Rule of Thirds' that's very popular in photography. Let's learn a little more about it.

What does the rule state?

'Rule of Thirds' is a compositional guideline that lets you place your subject (aka your point of focus) in one of the 3 quadrants of your frame. Using this guideline, if you compose a picture, it is considered well balanced and composed.

What makes it well balanced and composed?

You must have heard the phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words". Any photograph is a pause button, a frozen moment in a time frame. To tell a compelling story, a photograph needs a certain space in which it can freeze the subject and the surroundings and convey the emotion. The rule works on the principle that any story is incomplete without the right proportion of subject and its surrounding matter. By letting the subject occupy a third of the frame, it gives enough space for the surrounding to fit in and complete the story.

A few other versions

This rule is not only a compositional rule but something that is applicable to even light & shadow or depth of field. Any picture that approximately has a third of its frame dominated by bright light/dark shadow or even a contrasting colour tends to give out a feeling of it being well composed. What all other photography examples can you find that follow a similar rule?

What to avoid while following this rule?

Avoid placing your subject in a negative position. Capturing your subject while walking/moving out of the frame tends to give a feeling of incompleteness and you are left hanging by not knowing what happened there after.

Next time, as you scroll through your social media, pay attention to the photos you like and try to analyse how the Rule of Thirds was applied.