In photography there is a “Rule of Thumb” known as the “Rule of Thirds” even though it is more of a guideline. You take a photo and divide it into 9 equal parts by 2 lines horizontally and 2 lines vertically. The focus of the image should not be directly in the center as pictured below.
Instead the main focus of the image should be at the point of the intersection of these lines.
Research has shown that people's eyes go to an intersecting point first rather than the center of the shot. The idea is that if you place the main subject at the intersections, that your photo is balanced and allows the viewer to interact with the photo in a natural way.
When to break the rule
If you want balance, you may feel that central placement of your subject is the right way to go. It takes learning the rule before you can break the rule. The important thing is that you understand and then you can appreciate why you broke it. Rules broken for good reason sometimes turn out the best. If you can make an awesome image by bending the rules, capture it!
If you’re looking to expand your photography, experiment with the 'Rule of Thirds' and see what you come up with.
I would love for you to share what you create. You can share Instagram, Pinterest #StudioPro, post to our Facebook, or e-mail it to marketing@fovitec.com
