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Personal Pearls of Wisdom: “The Rule of Thirds Is Not For Everyone”

Centered with tension, energy, and interest.

First of all, let me define what the Rule of Thirds means for those that have been lucky enough to have never heard of it:

The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.

Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.

Ok, here’s my two-cents worth: TENSION, I don’t think so…ENERGY, no way…INTEREST…not for those that get bored easily. Better than centering the subject? Boy would I like to meet the person that wrote this, he needs to have his mind stretched, and I’m just the one to do it.

At least once during my four week online classes with the BPSOP, and also in my “Stretching Your Friend of Mind” workshops I have the same discussions with one or more of my fellow photographers. They almost always say the exact same thing…”I was told to always follow the Rule of Thirds”.

In my opinion, this is the silliest rule out there. The last thing I want to do is to be standing there somewhere, anywhere with just a couple of seconds left of incredible light, and worry about what intersection to put my subject in. I’m going to save that idea for those people that aspire to be a ‘good photographer’…why? Because good photographer’s follow the rules; those rules that take you down a one way path to mediocrity; purgatory for those that would rather color inside the lines.

Now, if you would rather be a ‘great photographer’, I strongly suggest you break every rule you can. Ansel Adams once said, “There are no rules for good pictures, there’s just good pictures”. To me, rules are a hindrance that gets in the way of creativity thinking. Rules, and especially the Rule of Thirds should be avoided at all costs. I suppose learning the rules might be important, but so is finshing all your vegetables.

Here’s a few examples of not following the Rule of Thirds:

So the next time you out and about taking pictures, do yourself a big favor and decide for yourself what makes a photo have tension, energy, and interest.

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my 2018 workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime, and we’ll break some rules. In conjunction with The Santa Fe Workshops, on October 2nd I’ll be leading a group in San Miguel de Allende. A beautiful oasis and artist colony, and the entire city is a UNESCO site.

JoeB

{ 6 comments… add one }
  • Joe February 13, 2012, 11:55 am

    Gary, in both my online class and my workshops, if I had a dollar for every time someone told me that they were told to always use the (silly) Rule of Thirds, I’d be writing you this note from my home on some exotic Island. I’d be typing with one hand while the other was holding on to a blue and frothy drink with a multi-colored umbrella hanging perilously from one side of the glass. I can only assume that those people want you to be a good photographer, While I want you to be a great one!!!

    Did you read my post called “The Rule of Thirds is not for everyone”?

    BTW, Ansel Adams once said, ” There are no rules for good pictures, just good pictures”.

    Come shoot with me some time!!!

    Joe

    • Gary Thursby February 16, 2012, 2:16 pm

      Just may have to do that through your class at PPSOP Joe! 😉

      • Joe February 16, 2012, 3:01 pm

        Check out my 2012 workshop schedule and see if you’re able to attend one.

  • Joe February 16, 2012, 9:13 am

    Hi Joanne,

    I don’t remember an article with that title. Are you talking about my article on the “Leading In Rule”? If that’s the one you’re talking about, you’ll find it under the “Personal Pearls of Wisdom” category on the right side of my blog. Just click on it and you’ll see the article.

    Thanks for your interest, and please let me know if this was the article you were talking about.

    Joe

  • Slava October 9, 2019, 12:42 pm

    I really like 3 shots.
    Man on the boat and man infront of the old truck, because of the wide angle nature of the shot. Really liked how the wide angle was used.

    And 3rd one is with the frame withe filed. I like how the frame filled with the ears of wheat. It creates texture which fills the frame and then this open space at the top where the eyes can rest. And a “cherry on top” – the silhouette of a combine.

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