Rule of Thirds, Golden Ratio, and Exceptions

Introduction

The rule of thirds and the golden ratio are two alternatives in framing photos in order to enhance the subject and balance the shot. Let's discover together how to transform theory into amazing photos!

What is the Rule of Thirds?

If you like to dig into the settings of your device, whether it's your smartphone or your digital camera, it's very likely you've seen a setting to turn on and off a grid that divides the picture into nine equal sections, as in the picture above.

This grid is a helper for the photographers who want to respect the rule of thirds when they shoot their photos. But what is it? Making it as short as possible, for a correct photographic composition using the rule of thirds, you should always try to place the subject or the point of greatest interest on one of the grid intersections.

It doesn't matter if you are shooting a travel picture of a panorama of our amazing Dolomites; the rule of thirds applies in most situations.

Let's now explore the concept in more detail. Placing the subject in the center of the photo generally makes the photo static and boring. There are some exceptions, as we'll see in the last chapter, but in most cases photos with the subject placed in the center appear uninteresting.

Each image has four points of interest: the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 we highlighted in the image above and below.

Following the rule of thirds, one or more interesting parts of the photo should be placed in those points to balance the framing of the picture. If the picture has clear lines, such as the horizon, it would also be ideal to place them along one of the lines of the grid.

There's a reason why this rule works so well: the human brain has a standard pattern while processing an image. Usually the observer starts by focusing on point 1, then moves on to point 2, then goes down to point 3, and finally the gaze falls on point 4.

This way of observing is generally valid for all the cultures used to reading from left to right. Some languages, like arabic, are written from the right; if the brain of the observer is used to reading in that way, the natural way to look at a picture will be with the points in the order 2, 1, 4, and 3. The rule of thirds is still valid though.

The Horizon Line

As briefly mentioned before, in panoramic photography the line should pass through points 1 and 2 or through points 3 and 4. If the most interesting part of the photo is the sky, the horizon should follow the lower line, so you leave greater importance to the clouds. If the sky is dull, it's surely preferable to fill two-thirds of the frame with the terrain.

Placing the horizon line outside of the lines of force would create an unbalanced image. The fact that two-thirds of the image should be dedicated to the subject to whom we want to give more importance is the reason behind the name rule of thirds.

The photo above shows the sky dominating the mountain, attracting attention to itself. The photo below treats the sky as a secondary element, ensuring that attention goes to the forest below. In both cases the rule of thirds is effective. If the subject of photography is vertical, the rule is still valid.

The Rule of Thirds in Portraits

The rule of thirds works well also in portraits, so avoid positioning your subject in the center of the frame, but use one of the vertical lines of strength, with the body slightly oriented towards the wider part of the image, such as in the example photos below.

In side-view portraits this rule is even more important. To create dynamism, it's essential to leave open the part of the image where our brain assumes the subject is engaged. Therefore, space should be left in the direction of the subject's gaze, as shown in the example below.

The golden rectangle, sections, and spiral.

There's a different approach to the rule of thirds, which uses different proportions, known as golden ratios. The name comes from the golden rectangle, a square that results in a very balanced look to the eyes, so much so that it has defined the proportions of the Parthenon.

This rectangle has been used for ages, but it has been mathematically defined by Fibonacci, who has formalized its proportions, rounding them a little. For a rectangle with a short side of 1, the long side has to be 1.62. The true mathematic value, not rounded up, is 1.61803398.

By creatively using the same proportions of the golden rectangle, we can divide the image into three parts: the central section remains smaller, while the others are exactly 1.62 times larger than the central one. In this way, we can reinterpret the rule of thirds using alternative proportions, as shown in the image below. Its name is golden sections.

The difference in composition with the rule of thirds is not that much, as you can see above, but the golden sections give you an alternative when you can't find a balanced crop. As an example, it fits very well with photos taken with an ultra-wide-angle lens, such as 16 mm.

If we inscribe a golden rectangle within another, recursively, it's possible to generate a golden spiral. Ok, I bet you didn't understand anything, but it's very easy to get if you look at the image below.

The golden spiral can be used as an inspiration for composing photographs in an extremely interesting way. There are not many subjects that can be inscribed within a golden spiral, but when possible, it's certainly the most elegant and proportionate framing.

Breaking the Rule

There are also some who are against the rule of thirds and the golden rule. Their opinion is that applying rules in photography is a way to impose limitations on creativity. The provocative question they ask is, how many beautiful images work just because they don't obey the rule of thirds?

As with any rule, there are always some exceptions. Rules of thirds or golden ratios should never be considered as absolute laws, although those are the most classic and are also widely accepted as the standard way to compose a photo.

For example, in macro photography, the subject is usually placed at the center of the image to give it maximum attention.

Another exception is a photograph where there are big reflections, such as water mirrors or perfect symmetries. In this case, it's good practice to put the symmetry line at the center of the photograph to valorize the mirroring.

In other photos the subject could also be placed in the corners; if an alternative framing is the result of a mindful choice, it may work very well and be very interesting and unconventional.

What do we think? We believe that before thinking about breaking the rules, it should be better to perfectly learn how to respect them. Many good artists have invented something new, but before affirming their style they first had lear to master the classic way, with healthy apprenticeship, following the classic rules.

Conclusion

We hope you liked our guide on the rule of thirds in photography. Before saying goodbye, we would suggest you read our home page, with all the articles we wrote about Cortina d'Ampezzo.

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