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Elaine Mueller Tweedy
           (570) 575-1705

Rule of Thirds

1/12/2018

15 Comments

 
I want to make it perfectly clear that rule of thirds has nothing to do with how many times you go back in line for food. There.  Now that is out of the way and we can move forward.

Rule of Thirds is a principle of photography that involves the use of a grid with intersecting lines.
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The grid helps a photographer to organize a photo and make it more interesting.  Typically, placing the subject along the left or right vertical thirds and/or the top and bottom horizontal thirds, is said to make a composition more pleasing.  Should you use rule of thirds every single time you compose a photo?  No.  But it does help to weed out what should and shouldn't be left in the image.

Let me use the examples of Fable, who visited me in the studio, to illustrate.
Picture
In the photo above, Fable is placed along the left vertical third of the image.  I believe this made the photo a bit more interesting and edgy, rather than just having Fable in the middle of the settee.  Fable actually picked that spot, which made it even better, but the photograph was originally much wider and larger and I cropped it down so that Fable would land on the left vertical lines.

Now check out the photo below.
Picture
In this photo I would get extra points for having Fable's left eye fall directly on the quadrant left line.  I would not get extra points for cutting off his paws.  The back line of the settee seat actually falls along the horizontal grid line.

If you are someone who needs symmetry, you will not like this photo, because you will want the other arm of the settee to appear in it.  In the case of this photo, I did not crop it down.

Sometimes when you have a new, nervous or fast-moving dog in a studio environment, you are not always guaranteed you will get every body part.  I am always focused in on the eyes, the area between the eyes and the bridge of the nose.

In any case, Fable is a beautiful boy.  Gotta love those expressive ears!

I am sure you will see many more examples in today's circle.  There are again quite a number of participants.  Sit back, relax and enjoy all the photos!  Start here with Elayne Massaini, pet photographer in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Have a great weekend.  I am guessing I would love to have Elayne's weather right about now.
15 Comments
Kelly
1/12/2018 09:31:36 am

What a smile!!!! Beautiful examples of the rule of thirds. :)

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Ashley Siemon link
1/12/2018 10:26:41 am

Wow you weren’t kidding about that expressive face!

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Tim Evans link
1/12/2018 10:32:43 am

I normally like much more vibrant colors in photographs, but I absolutely love your color work in these photos. It's almost a vintage feel, and they all complement each other so well!

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Elaine
1/13/2018 09:12:55 am

Thanks, Tim. I used a textured overlay in both of these photos, brushing it off at different opacity levels depending on what I was looking for in the results.

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Tracy Allard link
1/12/2018 12:17:33 pm

Great examples and nice explanation (oh, and I want that sofa!)

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Elaine
1/13/2018 09:14:55 am

Thank you, Tracy. That piece of furniture was a real find at a local antique fair last year. It is really smaller than a normal sofa, even smaller than a loveseat....dog sized. It probably looks bigger than it is in the photo.

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Danyel
1/12/2018 05:24:32 pm

I love the coloring of Fable next to that victorian couch. The colors really compliment each other.

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Darlene link
1/12/2018 06:39:17 pm

Love your opening, Elaine, about going back for "thirds" - that's fantastic! :) Beautiful images of Fable and loving that couch and the soft color. Great post!

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Elayne Massaini link
1/12/2018 08:25:21 pm

Gorgeous photos Elaine! Yes, I agree with you, the sun and the beach are better than the snow! lol

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Susannah link
1/12/2018 09:30:05 pm

I love your humor...and your settee.

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Shelly Ellis link
1/12/2018 09:52:14 pm

I love your editing style ( and the love seat) . I think the red border colors are so awesome and love photographing them

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Sandra mccarthy
1/12/2018 09:59:55 pm

Beautiful focus on the dogs eyes.

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Nancy Kieffer link
1/12/2018 11:05:35 pm

Love Fables smile!

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Sam Adele
1/14/2018 03:14:41 pm

Fable *is* a gorgeous boy! I love both photos! Well done!

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Linda Perdue link
1/14/2018 07:53:14 pm

I love the studio look - my favorite is the first image. Beautiful dog!!!

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