The Rule of Thirds is Wrong? Yes... Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I'll admit to perhaps being a bit of a slave to the Rule of Thirds; I'll certainly say that is my go-to compositional template (for lack of a better word), that I probably use it too often and I think I was taught as fact pretty much everything the author of the following article is labeling a myth. As I type this, I'm still digesting much of the information he presents so I'm not sure how I feel about. At a "gut" level though, I'm thinking he's right... If not about everything then certainly to some (rather large) degree.

Allow me to submit for your consideration: 10 Myths About the Rule of Thirds; hosted by the good folks at PetaPixel.

I would like to hear what others have to say about this.
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I can speak to many photos that, with a slight tweak to hit the "thirds", have improved greatly following the "common rule". I also have quite a few that I have blatantly ignored the rule and come out with fantastic results.

One should always know the rules, as it helps one know when to break them. Obviously, per your link, there are a plethora of other "rules" that many don't explore. I say, please your eye, and the other eyes will tell you if it's pleasing as well! ;)
 

SteveL54

Senior Member
I abandoned it a some time ago, as I was missing shots trying to get it to fit within the grid. I'm nowhere near pro level, but I know what pleases my eye. I've no complaints from people that look at my photos, but they are not looking at them from a pro's eye, either. Although I'll sometimes use the grid, I generally find it a distraction, so off it goes.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
I think it goes to the premise of knowing the rules to know when and why to break the rules. At the same time the overriding rule must be do I like it.
 

Zeke_M

Senior Member
I sort of use the rule of thirds, but rules were made to be broken.
Some of my best pictures are off the cuff and spontaneous. Take the picture and worry about the composition, settings etc later.
For me, If I spend too much time fussing over a picture I inevitably get it wrong. YMMV.
 

Lawrence

Senior Member
I read that a few days ago and while I found it VERY interesting I also found it a bit impractical - especially where you have a group of people that you want to line up match the grids that he refers to.
That is all well and good if you have the time and the complying models - plus the math ability - but in the real world photos present themselves differently and it is up to us to capture them as best we can.

I agree with what others have said about what is pleasing to the eye - coincidentally in many cases these pleasing photos do tent to comply wiht his grids and other elements.

Always good to read an be aware of these things as they acn only help to improve our skills on both a conscious and subconscious level.
 

Prefrosh01

Senior Member
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I can speak to many photos that, with a slight tweak to hit the "thirds", have improved greatly following the "common rule". I also have quite a few that I have blatantly ignored the rule and come out with fantastic results.

One should always know the rules, as it helps one know when to break them. Obviously, per your link, there are a plethora of other "rules" that many don't explore. I say, please your eye, and the other eyes will tell you if it's pleasing as well! ;)

I've been doing a lot of studying to improve my skills, but I haven't come across the "common rule." Is this just another name for the golden ratio?
 

Scott Murray

Senior Member
I agree, its all about composition and what makes an image an image. Art is an art form for a reason and if you look at the various styles there is not right or wrong way, just styles.
 

rocketman122

Senior Member
aesthetic composition comes from experience. pics dont have to be third rule but a good photographer will know how to make an image that will work regardless if its followed or not.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
As has been said, composition is individual and there are many choices beyond the Rule of Thirds that yield not just pleasing but amazing results. Every situation may not allow for it, or require it. For example, the internet has been all over this image taken on New Years Eve that is the perfect example of the Golden Ratio.

I don't shoot to rules, but if something doesn't seem right then I might look to them to see if it can be made right.
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
I've been doing a lot of studying to improve my skills, but I haven't come across the "common rule." Is this just another name for the golden ratio?

The rule of thirds is the "common" rule. So many people swear by it and are bound by it, and it does work in a lot of situations... it's just also a burden that ruins a pic in a lot of situations.
 
The rule of thirds is something everyone should know. It is used in all sorts of art. BUT it is like just about like every rule there is There are exceptions to every rule but you have to know the rules before you can break them properly


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kawaracer

Senior Member
The rule if thirds is the most simple rule for composition, but there are many more composition rules. I don't really think about them when taking pics but there is a rule you can aplly.
 
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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Just suppose for a moment the guy or lady who invented the rule of thirds was wrong,it looks right to us in an image because we have been told its right.

Now this is a question i dont know the answer to,if you are viewing anything with the naked eye and you like it,have you moved you angle of view to fit the thirds rule are you just looking and enjoying ?
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
The Rule of Thirds is one of several compositional styles, but it isn't the only one. As was said, sometimes it is best to disregard the rules completely.
 

wev

Senior Member
Contributor
I don't think about rules; I just try to get a passable image (to my eye) from what I have to work with -- sometimes it's easy, sometimes not, and sometimes it doesn't work at all.
 

Prefrosh01

Senior Member
The rule of thirds is the "common" rule. So many people swear by it and are bound by it, and it does work in a lot of situations... it's just also a burden that ruins a pic in a lot of situations.

Thanks. I am familiar with the Rule of Thirds and I thought that there was something else I may have been missing.
 
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