The Rules of PhotographyUnit 57: Photography and Photographic Practice Terminology

P1, P2, M1, M2

BEN HOLMES

Rule of ThirdsOne of the most popular 'rules' in photography is the Rule Of Thirds. It is also popular amongst artists. It works like this: Imaginary lines are drawn dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. You place important elements of your composition where these lines intersect. Using the Rule of Thirds helps produce nicely balanced easy on the eye pictures. Also, as you have to position things relative to the edges of the frame it helps get rid of tiny subject surrounded by vast empty space.

Landscape.

Examples of Rule of thirds: Portrait.

FramingFraming is the technique of drawing attention to the subject of your image by blocking other parts of the image with something in the scene. This is probably one of the easier composition techniques in photography. Framing brings more depth to the picture and a better focus on what the main subject is.

Leading LinesThe use of lines can be used to direct the viewers attention to the subject of your photograph. These lines can be straight, diagonal, wavy, or any other creative variation. Just be aware that they may also lead away from the photography subject.

Balancing Elements

Placing your main subject off-centre, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty. You should balance the "weight" of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

Symmetry & Patterns

We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns, both natural and man-made. They can make for very eye-catching compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected. Another great way to use them is to break the symmetry or pattern in some way, introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.

Depth of FieldDepth of field describes the distance in front of and behind a focus point that appears sharp in a photograph. The way a subject is reproduced in a photograph can be very different from how it looked to you as you took the picture. When you cast your eye over a scene, everything in it seems more or less equally sharp, but sometimes in the finished shot only part of the subject appears acceptably sharp. This zone of sharpness is called the depth-of-field, and it extends in front of and behind the point that you actually focused on. The size of the zone is determined by three key factors - the aperture of the lens, the focal length of the lens used, and the distance you are from the subject.