Are You a Master of the Rule of Thirds?

The Rule of Thirds:

• A rule of thumb for composing visual images.
• Imagines an image divided into nine equal parts.
• Important compositional elements should be placed along the lines or intersections.
• Aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy, and interest in the composition.
• Proponents claim the subject doesn't have to touch the lines to take advantage of the rule.
• The main reason for observing the rule is to discourage center placement of the subject.
• The rule of thirds is favored by cinematographers in their effort to design balanced and unified images.
• When photographing people, it is common to line the body up to a vertical line and the person's eyes to a horizontal line.
• The rule of thirds was first written down by John Thomas Smith in 1797.
• Sir Joshua Reynolds gives the ratio 2:1 as a rule for the proportion of warm to cold colors in a painting.
• Smith's conception of the rule is meant to apply more generally than the version commonly explained today.
• Smith recommends the rule not just for dividing the frame but also for all division of straight lines, masses, or groups.