The rule of thirds

I am taking classes through New York Institute of Photography and need help. One of the projects I need to send in is "the rule of thirds". I would like to get some feed back on this photo. I am thinking about sending this one in...what do you think?? Thank you!

Hi Malaia,
I really like the shot and it certainly gets a tick for the thirds rule.
Speaking as an amateur with lots to learn, I would have put her in the left side third so her hair blew in the direction of the centre of the frame. I hope you and everyone feels free to tell me I'm wrong!
Cheers,
NEIL

It is funny you say that...I thought the same thing. But as it stands this was a "in the moment shot". I was just letting her play and I really think she started to run away. Thank you! If I don't use this I will have to keep that in mind!!

The rule of thirds applies more to images with multiple subjects, rather then a single subject.

If you had mom and a puppy in the shot, you'd probably put mom on the left side, slightly higher then the child and place the puppy lower and in the center. They'd basically form a triangle of sorts. The idea is to draw the viewer's eye into and through the image.

Look at the image called Power House, Disconnect and stairs in my IBW album if you need a visual aid.

Help any?

Use the crosshairs made by the rule for a single subject. Her eyes should be a bit higher.

Matthew (this feels a lot like explaining exposure to someone reading UE)

Actually I think this is a good composition.. Even though her hair is blowing to the right, her shoulders and body are pointing left and into the frame.. and her eyes keep the viewer coming back to her face..
Cropping the image to place her on the left side would make it appear as if she were walking right out of the picture..

Try cropping this to a "portrait" format, eliminating the left side of the photo just getting rid of the "dark area" near her arm. I think her eyes will be at a 1/3 cross point and her hair will be blowing the "correct" direction. Try it and post so we can see the result.

Hint: after you "attach" the photo, use the Insert button to display in a larger format.

Graflex 4x5 wrote: The rule of thirds applies more to images with multiple subjects, rather then a single subject.

If you had mom and a puppy in the shot, you'd probably put mom on the left side, slightly higher then the child and place the puppy lower and in the center. They'd basically form a triangle of sorts. The idea is to draw the viewer's eye into and through the image.

Look at the image called Power House, Disconnect and stairs in my IBW album if you need a visual aid.

Help any?

Not really. rule of thirds can apply too all aspect of photography. It just appears that portraits are shot more center in the frame, but I lost count how many times portraits are shot using rule of thirds and they look good too.

Baydream wrote: Try cropping this to a "portrait" format, eliminating the left side of the photo just getting rid of the "dark area" near her arm. I think her eyes will be at a 1/3 cross point and her hair will be blowing the "correct" direction. Try it and post so we can see the result.

Hint: after you "attach" the photo, use the Insert button to display in a larger format.

I was just about to type this,....cropping into a portrait, when I read your post.

Vespista wrote: Hi Malaia,
I really like the shot and it certainly gets a tick for the thirds rule.
Speaking as an amateur with lots to learn, I would have put her in the left side third so her hair blew in the direction of the centre of the frame. I hope you and everyone feels free to tell me I'm wrong!
Cheers,
NEIL

Well you are right....amateur with lots to learn.
This picture would not look all that good with the girl towards the left side so the hair is blowing towards the center of the frame.
The way it's shot now, is good (except for maybe cropping it into portrait...which wouldn't show rule of thirds for what the assignment is calling)
Either the girl was moving to the left, which would indicate the reason for the hair blowing to the right. You want to show direction where the subject is going (the picture shows this) Yes, could do what you mention....and it would be showing, where the girl came from. But the photographer needs to choose what they think is best. Sometimes, looking into the future is good, and sometimes looking into the past is good. All depends on the subject, the lighting etc...

Let's not forget this is a 'school' project, they're going to judge her effort on more traditional composition.

The question was 'what is the rule of thirds', not how can I improve this photo.

Graflex 4x5 wrote: Let's not forget this is a 'school' project, they're going to judge her effort on more traditional composition.

The question was 'what is the rule of thirds', not how can I improve this photo.

Yup, and since I took NYIP I think I would know what they are looking for.
Could there be a better photo she could submit...I'm sure.

Malaia101 wrote: I am taking classes through New York Institute of Photography and need help. One of the projects I need to send in is "the rule of thirds". I would like to get some feed back on this photo. I am thinking about sending this one in...what do you think?? Thank you!

Alright, you want to know if it's truly rule of thirds.

Open the image into any photo editing software that can give you a rule of thirds grid.
Photoshop, will do this, if you drag the crop tool across the photo.
Lightroom will also do this when in the crop mode

The grid will show up and you will see if the photo is in the rule of thirds.

I just did it on your picture. The main part of her face appear in the center, off to the right. Her hair and right shoulder appears more in the "rule of thirds". Her forehead appears in the upper part of the frame.

So in theory this is not the correct way of rule of thirds.

crystal wrote:

Graflex 4x5 wrote: Let's not forget this is a 'school' project, they're going to judge her effort on more traditional composition.

The question was 'what is the rule of thirds', not how can I improve this photo.

Yup, and since I took NYIP I think I would know what they are looking for.
Could there be a better photo she could submit...I'm sure.

Experience with what they are looking for is a great teacher.

Malaia101 wrote: I am taking classes through New York Institute of Photography and need help. One of the projects I need to send in is "the rule of thirds". I would like to get some feed back on this photo. I am thinking about sending this one in...what do you think?? Thank you!

Well I for one thinks it's a beautiful shot of a girl who is enjoying the day. For some people just glancing at the picture, they may think it fits into the rule of thirds. I know I did. When I first saw it, I was thinking yea it could work, but as I read the other comments, I don't think it's a true rule of thirds.

I mean, isn't a true rule of thirds nothing is suppose to be center of the frame?