This week in our design class we studied photography. There are a variety of rules to follow that can really help a beginning photographer capture better photos. Three of these rules will be focused on for this blog entry: Leading Lines, Depth, and Rule of Thirds.

 

Rule of Thirds

The first image shown below is a great example of Rule of Thirds. I found this image online at Jane Allan Photography.  This is part of her family photo advertisement.  Her site is located at: https://www.janeallanphotography.com/free-the-photos-family-photography/

As you can see from my draw-over of her photograph below, she exhibits great use of the rule of thirds. The best way to understand this principle is to imagine that whatever you are photographing is divided into nine sections with two horizontal lines and two vertical lines running through the “thirds” of the image.  The rule suggests that you place the main focus of what your shooting along these imaginary lines or at the points that they cross or intersect. This simple practice helps add greater balance to the image and makes it more interesting. The people are placed exactly where they need to be.

Below is my photograph taken this week utilizing the rule of thirds. I have also included a draw-over. The similarities between my photo and Jane Allan’s photo are both utilize the rule of thirds and our main subjects are sitting right on those imaginary lines. We both use only one main item as the focus as well, mine is a cat and hers is a family. Another thing that is similar between both photos is there is very little variation of color in the background. I believe it helps bring greater attention and interest on the main subject.

 

Depth

The next image is an example of Depth. This photograph was taken by Roy Lee and is included in his blog article called Depth of Field in a Nutshell, found online at https://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/depth-of-field-in-a-nutshell/.

As you can see from the draw-over, he gives us a great example of depth. Having the closest bricks in focus with the further bricks and people out of focus gives us a sense of distance between the two areas. The lines of the bricks also create depth. There is a natural tendency to look at the focused bricks, but then travel with the lines to the out of focus items, which also creates distance. This photograph is considered a shallow depth of field.

My photograph and draw over below are similar because I have focused on the stones closest to the camera and allowed the items further away to be blurry. I also have lines in the photo, such as the mortar in the stones and bricks on the ground, that lead your eye away from the focused area into the background. My draw-over highlights these areas of similarities.

Leading Lines

The image below is a fantastic example of leading lines. This image was taken by Jim Zuckerman and exhibited on his blog post called Composition: Leading Lines. This image can be located at: https://www.photovideoedu.com/Learn/Articles/jim-zuckerman-on-composition-leading-lines.aspx

The draw-over of this image highlights how each line in the tulip field and even the skyline create a natural tendency to look at the main focus of the image, the windmill. They draw your attention right into the main focus of the image, which is also following the rule of thirds. The windmill is sitting on the top 1/3 of the page.

Leading lines affect the way we look at a photo. They can lead us directly to a subject or right off the page. This photographer uses straight lines, but there are other types of leading lines such as curvy roads and zigzags.

My example of leading lines is similar in the fact that there are strong lines running directly to the main focus of the picture, which is my entertainment center. The focus of the picture isn’t as interesting as Mr. Zuckerman’s windmill, but I felt the kick boards on both sides of the room do draw the eye into the picture and lead the viewer along.

Conclusion

Using leading lines, depth and rule of thirds can help a photographer capture the attention of the viewer. In using these three rules, I have been able to see my own photography improve. I now look for opportunities to use leading lines and depth in my photos, especially those that are of scenery. I really like how the rule of thirds helps balance the subject in the photo and creates interest and an element of professionalism. I now tend to look at the world around me through a photo lens to see if there are leading lines, an interesting depth perspective and if I could capture something fascinating using the rule of thirds.