The Rule of Thirds: Stepping Stone to Good Composition

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet from the moive "Titanic"

Do you remember the scene in the movie "Titanic" where Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are on the bow of the fated ship leaning forward with their arms outstretched? Here they are, on what was considered the safest ship of its day, taking a big risk by leaning over the railing for a bit of a thrill. In the movie it is a metaphor for the risks these two young lovers are taking in their personal lives, and a foreboding of things to come. But I see in this a great example of how we should be using the "Rule of Thirds" in our photographic compositions.

The rule of thirds, by other names, has been around for many thousands of years. The ancient Greeks understood the importance of the ratio 5:8 in artistic composition. Over the years the relationship between that ratio and the "Golden Section" has been noticed by mathematicians and artists alike. By the Renaissance the rule of thirds was well accepted in artistic circles and used extensively by artists of that time. Today, nearly every book on composition starts with a discussion of the rule of thirds and its importance in good design, but I never see the reasoning behind why the rule works and how to best use it effectively. That's what I hope to address here.

Consider once again the image of the two lovers perched perilously on the bow of the ship. They would have had pretty much the same view if they had leaned back just a bit and stood safely on deck; but that would not have been very exciting, would it? No, there was some excitment created by taking a risk and leaning over the edge. Now if they had leaned too far over the edge they would have created even more excitement when they tilted over and fell, but they didn't want that either. The thrill came from pushing the limit right to the edge without going over. The same is true in composition.

Consider the very center of your image to be the 'safe' area. It's safe because no risk has been taken, but there is also no thrill, no excitement. To be honest, it's boring. On the other hand, push things too far toward the edge and things get cut off or eliminated. That's not good either. The excitement comes when we get right close to the edge without going too far. Now I have noticed that most objects need some room to swim around. That is, placing something right against and edge just doesn't "feel right"; a bit of space is required. Most of the time, you will find that there is a balance between safety and risk close to half way between dead center and the edge of the frame; which is exactly where the rule of thirds tells us we should be placing important subjects. Suddenly it makes sense; we want to create a bit of excitement without creating the feeling that we have gone too far.

There is some wiggle room here. Depending on what you are shooting, you may find that there are times when you want to be a bit closer to the edge, and others when you want to be a bit closer to the center. Think of doing a portrait of someone important in your community; you would probably want to put them closer to the center to imply stability and strength. A young person, full of energy and mischief, might be better served very near the 'dangerous edge.'

Of special note are the intersections where two line of thirds overlap. Its great to place important things here, but again, this is only a rough estimate. What is best for your composition is likely to be just a bit off the exact spot. Please, don't take my word for this. Try it for yourself. Think of the center of your composition as the boring safe spot and the edges as the thrilling dangerous areas and play with the dynamic. Artists call this "creating dynamic tension." There are other ways to create this kind of tension, especially with color and balance, but those are tools we will have to talk about another time. Right now, using placement in this way is among the easiest tool to use. Think of it as the hammer of the design tools. Simple? Yes, but it can have a profound impact.

Photographer's Emergency Kit(s)

I am convinced that the best way to handle a disaster is to prepare for it. We can't foresee all potential situations but we certainly can predict a lot of them and alleviate their impact ahead of time. My primary criteria for items were that they would be small enough to fit into the little kit box (more on that later), that they provide a solution common to most photographers and that they serve more than one purpose. Your choices may be different from mine, but reading through this may give you some ideas you haven't yet considered.

Promaster Deluxe Lens Kit
Yes, we all need to carry lens cleaning supplies, but what we really want here is the nifty waterproof case this comes in. We are going to modify ours to better suit our needs. You should be able to find this lens kit at your local camera store, but if not try here. The only other thing I kept in the box was the little brush that is great for the lens as well as smoothing our makeup (though don't use it on the lens after it has been used for makeup, please.)

Fresnel Lens
This credit card sized piece of plastic with little grooves in it works well as a magnifier in a pinch plus you can tape it to the front of your speed light to focus the light for telephoto shots. Handy and helpful.

Para Cord
Parachute Cord is rated to 550 pounds so its great for lashing things down. I have used 6' of para cord to make the fob for my waterproof box. Inside the cord are 7 individual strands of smaller cord. That gives me a total of 42 feet of cord in a pinch. Learn how to make your own here.

Tin Foil
Just tear off a sheet of tin foil, fold it and keep it in the kit. It has a million uses as it is reflective, light blocking, conducts electricity, water proof and able to handle high temperatures. Pound for pound the most useful item in the kit.

Duct Tape
Close to tin foil in usefulness, duct tape is legendary for its repair abilities. Check out YouTube for some really outrageous uses, though I'm thinking about making one of those beer helmets when I finish this posting. You may want to get the black variety so it doesn't show up in your images.

Wet Wipes
Think of Wet Wipes as a bandana with cleaning and disinfecting properties. You can't make a sling out of it, but there sure are a number of other situations where it could come in very handy. The one listed in the link even kills the H1N1 virus.

Band Aids
I was shooting a wedding once when a wire caught on my arm and left a scratch that bled profusely. With all the concerns over blood-borne pathogens I knew I had to get the wound attended to fast. Fortunately I had a first aid kit in the car, but with the wet wipes and band aids I could handle that from my camera bag now without the trip to the parking lot.

OTC medications
Baby aspirin is a great idea for anyone suffering from chest pains and studies show that taking a baby aspirin at the first signs of heart trouble can make a huge difference. Even if you aren't in danger, someone you know may be. Tylenol, Advil, Actifed, Benadryl, Pepto Bismol and Kaopectate, all have there place in an emergency kit. You never know when sympotoms will hit and buying yourself a couple hours have a real impact on your image quality.

Space Blanket
Having something waterproof to cover your gear is always a good idea and the shiny reflective surface could also help you put light where you need it or block it where you don't.


Multi-Tool
One thing that will be nice to have is a multi-purpose tool that includes a pair of pliers. Don't think they will ever do any good? I once stopped to help a lady stranded by the side of the road armed with nothing but a multi-tool. Her car had overheated and when we opened the hood it was easy to see why; she had a hole in her radiator hose. Using the multi-tool, I was able to cut off a section of the hose and reattach the hose while she went to get some water. In less than five minutes she was back on the road. It's nice to be the hero every once in a while. Check out the fine "Clutch" from Gerber here.

Lens Filter Wrench
"A what?" you say, "I've never heard of such a thing; why do I need to be carrying one?" Keep in mind, this kit is for emergencies and as much as we appreciate the job filters do in protecting our expensive glass, we also want to be able to remove damaged glass and filters if needed. Just try shooting a wedding reception with a bent polarizing filter stuck to the front of your favorite lens. You'll thank me later. Besides, you can get a set of two for less than $5 from Amazon.

Flashlight
You never know when you are going to need one so you may as well keep a flashlight handy. Ideally it will run on the same batteries as either your camera or flash, though that is not essential. You are probably going to want one with LED lights as the batteries last much, much longer.

Rescue Mirror
This may seem like an odd choice, but the uses go far beyond signalling for help on a deserted island. You can loan it to a model or bride to check out their look and, may as well check out your own while you're at is. Also, it could come in real handy as a reflector for macro shots. You want one that is high quality with the reflective surface on the front side, and that is going to mean you will need to keep it in a scratch proof case. (Check out the note below about the use of CDs as emergency mirrors.)

Rescue Whistle
I hesitated putting this on the list as it is almost exclusively identified with rescue situations. Why would a photographer need one? I can think of two scenarios; this could be a great security device as you walk to your car late at night and to use as a round up device for wandering children (provided you tell them of the signal ahead of time.) The Jetscream Whistle produces a ear-splitting blast at 122 decibels, equivalent to standing next to the big speakers during a rock concert- just short ear bleed. That's not only a deterrant to a would be attacker, but is loud enough to be heard above almost anything else. I'm buying a couple for my grandchildren.

Other Options

Wedding Kit
As mentioned above, the kind of emergency kit you carry will depend a bit on what kind of photography you are doing. If you are a wedding photographer I highly recommend you check out Tom Philo's well thought out list. Elise Sanchez also has a very thorough list.

Special Note: The website Equipped to Survive tells us that people have been rescued through the use of the small holographic image on a credit card so we wouldn't want to ignore the possibility of using a CD for the same purpose. They go on to say that for inherent reasons they wouldn't recommend packing on for emergency purposes, it is something to keep in mind should the need arise. For photographers this may have special import as the slight flexibility of CDs would allow you focus the light where you want it. A good thing to know when you want to play McGyver.

Some things that didn't make the list

Bandana
Almost every survival list will include a bandana as an essential item; they simple have 1001 uses from wiping things off to serving as a sling (I've even used mine as a prop.) When I mentioned this to my nurse/wife she reminded me that they were great to use if you have to give CPR. If you don't know why just ask the paramedic who teaches your next class. You are CPR certified, aren't you? I do carry one in my bag but it's not a part of this emergency kit. I would suggest you carry at least one yourself.

Poncho
Another item on nearly every survival guide but in our case I decided that the space blanket would do many of the same things and a few more beside. Still, it you have a bit of extra room Stealth Gear makes a great one especially for photographers.

Toilet Paper
I don't carry this in my pack but I promise you I have plenty in my car. Uses too may to number in addition to the obvious but a bit too bulky to keep in the kit.

Some others you may want to consider:
Nail Clippers
Zip Ties
Magnifier
Sewing Kit
Sewing Kit
Paper and Pen

Magic Moments in Wedding Photography

Several years ago a friend of mine asked if I would shoot her best friend's wedding. The couple was very poor and would not be able to pay me anything. I said no. Not because I am all that mercenary, but because it was a long way from where I live and I was trying to get out of weddings. She asked again...and again...until I said yes. The couple was indeed poor, living in a mobile home in the middle of farm country next to the grassy field where they were going to get married. Both had been in difficult marriages before and they had a passel load of kids between them. All the men wore cowboy hats and everybody drank lots of beer...even before the ceremony started. They were as country and as unsophisticated as I have ever seen but there was a feeling like they had got it right this time and were truly happy together. The ceremony was quiet and uneventful under the trellis that had been built for the occasion. When it was over the two nearly ran to the back of the crowd where he scooped her up and hugged her for all she was worth. In the process his hat fell off and on his sunburned cheeks you could see big crocodile tears. She was officially his at last. It was one of the most touching scenes I have ever witnessed at a wedding and I felt humbled to have seen it. It is among my favorite shots though no one would call it a great shot on technical terms.
My point is this; great wedding photography is not just about making people look good, though I am all for doing that as much as we possibly can, no, we must never forget that the true purpose of wedding photos is to capture those magic moments that can never be staged. No one cares what kind of camera you have or whether or not you were shooting in RAW, as long as you capture those moments of magic and preserve them forever.
I tell people all the time that if they want to shoot weddings they need to have the technical aspects of photography down cold. Why? For this very reason; about the time you have to fiddle with a dial or make an adjustment you are going to miss just such a moment and you can never ever get it back. Practice. Read the manual again. Put your "full manual" pride in your back pocket because no one but you cares about such things. No one ever says, "Be sure to capture the magic moments" but then they shouldn't have to; that's the real reason they hired you and you have a moral obligation to come through for them.

A New Direction...For Me At Least

During the course of a week I read a lot of articles and see a lot of videos like most of you do; some good, some bad, some silly...some unforgettable. What is odd is the fact that at times you see something and it only registers as interesting, only to find days later you can't stop thinking about it. Below is a video that has hit me that way this week. John Chiara has a very interesting way of photographing things. His is a choice most of us are not tempted to follow...but don't take my word for it. See if for yourself:




While I find his process fascinating and it instills in me a nostalgia for my film days, it is one of his statements that has haunted me ever since I saw this video. He says that when he started he looked for areas where he could shoot a beautiful scene, but as his art progressed, he learned to create images that appear to be more random and less purposely designed. Part of this, I suspect, have to do with the limitations of his camera rig, but he also alludes to the fact that his childhood memories are filled with similar images that are not well designed but memorable nonetheless. Clearly, this fellow is thinking along great lines, and his list of awards on his website testify to the fact that a lot of other artists agree.
Here's where it gets personal for me. I have been working hard to build the skills to create exceptionally beautiful images and to a large extent I have been successful. But I want more than that; I want to make exceptionally meaningful images. That's a very different thing. It's almost like starting all over; none of the skill I currently possess will assist me in this quest. At least, I haven't figured out how they will help. Chiara seems to have stumbled in a direction I would like to go. I don't know exactly where this will take me, but I have dusted of my old medium format camera to see what might be laying in wait.

Is RAW Over-Hyped?

I have nothing against RAW. I use it all the time and have little interest in going back to JPEG. I even wrote a tutorial on the subject some time ago to help people who were getting started. So, clearly, I have no axe to grind where RAW is concerned. I just don't want people to work under the delusion that learning RAW will improve their photography. We see the same thing with lenses. People seem to think that if they just had this or that lens their photography would leap to new heights. I can see how they come to that conclusion. Jim Bryant is a great photographer who uses a host of lenses and has mastered RAW and a lot of other techniques, therefore if I want to shoot like Jim I need to do the same. Unfortunately, that simply isn't the case. Give Jim a point and shoot that only does JPEG and he will still kick you a$$. Why? Because he has 30+ years experience and he knows what he is doing, that's why.
"Yeah, yeah," you say, "Experience trumps tools and techniques, I get it," but it goes much deeper than that. What if I could show you a twelve year old boy who was well on his way to being a world class photographer. He shoots with a point and shoot and has no interest in RAW, nevertheless, he's already outshooting 90% of the people on the photography forums. Why? Because he has an insatiable curiosity about what he can do with his camera. He's up in trees, he's down on the floor, he's shooting in mirrors, he's shooting at night, because he want to try it all. He is also interested in music, dance and poetry and is curious about how those are related to photography. In the time it takes for the average newbie to master RAW, this young man will make giant leaps in his abilities. Yes, he's a prodigy, but there is still a lesson to be learned from his example and the lesson is this: great photography is about learning to see better, or as Proust says, learning to see with "new eyes."
If you want to learn RAW, go for it, it's a great set of tools, but you will still be the same photographer when you are done. If you want to be a better photographer there are much better ways to learn. Do like Elliott Erwitt and shoot from a dog's point of view. Or do like John Moran and carry a ladder wherever you go so you can shoot from that perspective. Or Professor Charles Benton who shoots from a camera mounted on a kite. You could even do like Ryan Gallagher and take pictures by tossing your camera into the air (for some rather impressive results.) Don't drink the Adobe Kool Aid and think that learning some new program will make you a better photographer. Just get out there and try something new!

The Price for Great Images

We have all had circumstances where we took chances to get just the shot we wanted. The other day I decided to try my hand at night photography, something I haven't done in many years. I decided that a nearby country road was the perfect setting as it has an overpass from which I could set up my camera and has very few lights as there isn't much business in the area. What I did not count on was how little room there was between the lane marker and the railing. The cars passing behind me at a high rate of speed were mere inches from my backside while I held the shutter open. Was it worth it? The shot is above and I'll let you make your own choice here, but for me, yes, it was worth it.

Having survived my night's adventure, I decided to take an ostensibly safe trip around the block. To my surprise there was a lily in bloom down the street in a place that was certainly not tended by anyone in particular. I was attracted to this little flower growing on its own in the midst of the wild and looked for a sufficient backdrop on which to pose my beautiful new friend. To the right and up a bit from the lily was a huge oak tree I thought may serve the purpose, but to place the tree properly in the background I needed to get down to ground level. What I didn't realize then and is painfully obvious now, is that the lily was growing among a large patch of poison ivy. As a matter of fact, if you look at the picture closely you will notice the ivy growing up the trunk of the oak tree. That would be the cause of the terrible rash and itching along my left arm and extending down my back. Was that image worth the effort? Again, I'll let you make your own decision, but right now I'm thinking not.

The Joshua Tree

Francisco Inchauste writes frequently about design issues on his blog designinformer.com. Recently he struck on a fabulous metaphor for a question many people have about design. You see, many people question whether or not design can be taught or even put into words sufficiently for people to learn its principles. Let Francisco tell you his story in his own words:

“Many years ago I received a tree identification book for Christmas. The first tree in the book was the Joshua tree because it took only two clues to identify it. Now the Joshua tree is a really weird-looking tree and I looked at that picture and said to myself, ”Oh, we don’t have that kind of tree in Northern California. That is a weird-looking tree. I would know if I saw that tree, and I’ve never seen one before.”

So I took my book and went outside. I had lived in that house for thirteen years, and I had never seen a Joshua tree. I took a walk around the block, and there must have been a sale at the nursery when everyone was landscaping their new homes — at least 80 percent of the homes had Joshua trees in the front yards. And I had never seen one before. Once I was conscious of the tree, once I could name it, I saw it everywhere. Which is exactly my point. Once you can name something, you’re conscious of it. You have power over it. You own it. You’re in control.”

What Francisco is telling us, if I am reading this right, is that design is a lot like the Joshua Tree; it requires a bit of study to learn the basics, but once you see it and recognize it for what it is, you begin to see it everywhere and even begin to put these tools to work in your photography. I couldn't agree more and I would encourage you to visit Francisco's site and consider his ideas for yourself.