1. Composition and the Rule of
Thirds
Unit 18 – Producing Print Based
Material

2. Today’s Aim...
• To understand what the ‘rule of
thirds’ is, why it is used in a wide
variety of print media and to put it
into practice ourselves...

3. Rule of Thirds History
• In photography and film
making the Rule of Thirds
is used to make the overall
composition more pleasing
to the eye
• The idea comes from a
history of painting
and art
• Sometimes linked to
‘Golden Mean’

4. What is it?
• Frame is divided into three horizontal and
vertical sections
• Image is placed at intersections

7. Why use it?
• Conventional –
used repeatedly so that the audience come to
expect it
• Creates a ‘natural’ sense of balance in a shot

8. Task 1
• You work as photo editor for a
Digital SLR Photography magazine.
Some images have been submitted
of a high quality but your boss thinks
they need to be reframed before
publication.
Use your knowledge of composition
and Rule of Thirds to make the
images more attractive
In turns, come up to the images and
crop them by drawing on the rule
of thirds grid

9. Task 2
• Scenario: You work for a local newspaper and
they have asked you to shoot some portraits
of typical students for their latest edition.
You must plan the shoot using basic
storyboard techniques
• Think about the Rule of Thirds, where would
you place your subject within the frame?

10. Task 3
• Using the theme you started with last week,
try to get at least two well composed images,
utilising The Rule of Thirds and what we know
about Line, Texture and Pattern
• Be back with at least 20 mins spare to upload
onto your memory card

11. Review
• Divide frame into three
horizontal & vertical lines –
place subject at intersection
• Rule of Thirds helps us to
compose a shot that the
audience recognises and
wants
• Can be used in a variety of
media types

12. Shot 1
Shot 2