The rule of thirds in photography is explained in simple language here. Learn in detail how to place eyes, horizons, and products perfectly. We also covered common mistakes and lens recommendations.
1. Introduction:
Getting better at photography is more than just investing in high-quality cameras and high resolutions. This is because capturing images is more like "painting with light," where your composition becomes the canvas. To make this canvas appealing and attractive for the viewer, photographers use the rule of thirds to frame scenes.
This basic rule applies to all content being created today, whether it’s a YouTube thumbnail, e-commerce product photos, or portraits in a ceremony. In this article, we cover the basics of the rule of thirds photography and discuss related content creation for portraits, landscapes, fashion/editorial work, and product photography.
2. What is the Rule of Thirds?
This rule is defined as a composition guideline for a frame that essentially divides it into nine equal rectangular parts using two horizontal and two vertical lines. Next, instead of centering everything in a frame, the photographer should consider placing important elements of the frame (such as a subject’s eyes, a product, or a building edge) along these lines or at their intersection points.
This is done to naturally draw the viewer’s attention and create a more dynamic, balanced composition that can pull in more focus on the subject. This technique is also employed to use negative space in a frame, making the subjects feel less cramped, and can be used for various creative works in different photography niches.
3. Using the Rule of Thirds in Practice
Your camera body, even a smartphone, comes with an option to turn on a 3×3 grid. However, with physical camera bodies, applying the rule of thirds can vary depending on the chosen lens. If you use wider focal lengths, you will achieve a more expansive environment and significantly more room between the subjects within the grid. This changes with longer focal lengths, as such lenses compress background elements toward the lines.
For this, many photographers now opt for anamorphic lenses across various focal lengths, which can preserve cinematic proportions in the frame, aligning beautifully with off-center compositions. Having said that, capturing different shots requires a specific approach in your frame.
3.1 For Landscapes
When capturing these shots, your aim is to control the horizon placement and find a balance between the foreground, land, and sky. Use the grid to place the horizon along either the lower horizontal third or the upper one, depending on what matters more for you in that specific frame. Capture an interesting foreground or a dramatic sky; it's up to you.
3.2 For Portrait
Photographers use this rule for the horizontal placement of the model’s head and the vertical placement of the model’s eyes within the frame. In common professional practice, aligning the model’s eyes with the top horizontal third introduces subtle tension and space for hair, while also drawing in natural attraction as viewers instinctively connect with the eyes first.
3.3 For Product Photos
The goal here is to maintain clean, conversion-friendly layouts for product photos, especially in an e-commerce format. For this, the most common implementation is to place the product slightly to the right or left third, with the key feature (or brand logo) aligned near an intersection point. This serves as the immediate focal point for this product, drawing more attention. Professionals also use this rule to create negative space for price tags, copy blocks, or diagrams.
3.4 For Fashion Photos
Photographers aim to maintain a storytelling and brand narrative in these photos. For this, the most common practice is to place the model in the frame along a vertical third, with her eyes or head near the top intersection. Such an arrangement emphasizes the garments and the model while leaving two-thirds of the frame for motion or environment.
4. Best Lens for Professional Compositions
Any lens can be used to implement the rule of thirds photography techniques, but some lenses make it easier to craft professional-looking results. Since anamorphic optics inherently create wider frames, the SIRUI Saturn 35/50/75mm Full-Frame Carbon Fiber Anamorphic Lens can be used to maintain a dynamic composition by allowing for wider framing. This enables photographers to professionally implement the rule of thirds photography by easily positioning different subjects, buildings, and horizons on grid lines without any form of distortion overpowering the frame.
Designed with classic wide, normal, and short telephoto ranges, all with wide CinemaScope-style aspect ratios (1.6× squeeze), photographers get extra lateral space to place subjects on vertical thirds. Combined with professional optical performance due to atmospheric glass elements, a super bright f/2.9 aperture, and a super lightweight profile, photographers capture stunning frames for both stills and motion
5. Conclusion
The rule of thirds divides a frame into 3×3 grid sections, allowing key elements to be placed along its lines or intersections. Improving at rule of thirds photography requires knowledge of how to utilize these intersection lines when creating various content. The SIRUI Saturn lens kit makes this easier with its wider and superior lens optics.
