Rule of Thirds
by Robert H. Jacobvitz

The Rule of Thirds is a composition technique. Imagine that nine boxes are superimposed on the photo. The composition of a photo often is better if the subject is placed on or near one of the interior lines that outline the boxes, or at or near a cross hair. The Rule of Thirds is just a guideline, but a useful one. The Rule of Thirds is more useful for photographing cars when the photo focuses on a particular part of the car, such as a headlight or tail light, or if the car is part of a larger scene.

These are two photos with the nine boxes superimposed.
In the first photo below, the right vertical line bisects the tail light.

In this photo, one of the tail lights is near a cross hair.

Compare this photo, with the tail light in the center of the picture.

Photography Guide Menu

Photography Overview | Glossary of Photography Terms | Selecting Photography Equipment | Photo Shooting Tips | Rule of Thirds | Advanced Photography | Advanced Photography 2