The Rule of Thirds in Flower Photography
Posted on Aug 13, 2008 under flower photography |The rule of thirds is a basic principle in artistic composition. Imagine that a grid divides your picture into nine equal sections, and then place the most interesting or most important elements of your picture at the intersections of the grid lines while avoiding placing your subject dead center. This is supposed to create aesthetically pleasing and well balanced photographs.
For instance, which of these flower photographs do you like better? The one above has the largest bloom centered in the image with the long stem basically dividing the image in half. It looks okay, but the photo below has much more impact. I cropped in closer and moved the large bloom to the upper corner at a diagonal to the bloom in the bottom corner.
When applying this rule to flower photography, remember that it’s really a guideline, not a hard and fast rule. There are many situations in which the subject centered in the frame makes a striking and beautiful shot, as in this example…
So what’s the best way to compose your pictures? Practice seeing the rule of thirds through your camera (many digital cameras will even display the grid in the viewfinder for you). Then when you find that one stunning blossom that fills the frame you can put the rule of thirds aside and shoot away.
Eventually, you won’t have to think about the rule of thirds. When I sat down to look through my images and find examples to illustrate this article, I had a hard time finding poorly composed photographs. I’ve internalized the rule of thirds through years of taking flower photographs and you will to.
September 13th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Hi,This is my first time commenting on a blog so please bear with me! I love to take photographs of beautiful flowers and greenery as well! I have several beautiful photos that I have made into greeting cards, put on magnets, postage, ect. There is so much beauty around us! It’s great to be able to share it with others. I liked your article on the third rule. I learned something from that about picturing the object in a grid! I will try to remember that when next I am taking a photo! Thanks for the tips! Feel free to come visit my site as well!
October 1st, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Doh! You made a critical mistake in your composition. Rule of thirds, OK. Fair enough. Valid point. But another critical rule that goes hand-in-hand with the Rule of Thirds is that your subject should be looking into the frame. Not looking out of the frame. Here, the flower is facing out of the frame to the right, when it should be looking into the frame. Doh!