The Rule of Thirds
Whether your camera stays in auto mode or is locked into full manual, the composition of your image is important. Creating an aesthetic balance in your shot will help keep the viewer engaged. The most basic rule of composition is known as the rule of thirds.
Regardless of the shape of your photograph, imagine a grid of two vertical and two horizontal lines dividing it into nine separate boxes. The most prominent parts of your image should fall on or near these lines, helping you create an even look throughout the photograph.
In this image, the goats divide the bottom third from the top two-thirds and fall on the vertical grid lines. The man out of focus in the background also falls on a line to balance the image.
Here, the rocks almost fill the bottom third of the image, and the fishing net falls directly on the dividing line. The most prominent crane falls on the right vertical line, with the cranes in the background pointing at the other line in the grid. A nearly empty sky rounds out the upper left of the image.
In this image, the boy using the saw falls on the axis of two grid lines. The I-beams on the buildings also fall on both vertical lines.
Even with an atypical shape, this rule will still generally apply. With their tea lifted, the boys sit on third lines, and their eye lines rest on a horizontal third. One-third on the top and one-third on the right of the image frame our subjects from behind with the corrugated door.
Practice visualizing the rule of thirds principle the next time you view your favorite paintings and photographs.
To explore how to create a captivating composition even further, read this article about leading lines and other techniques.