Lesson 4 - Rule of Thirds

A

B

When photographing a landscape, be conscious of the position of the horizon line. In most instances, the horizon line should not be in the middle of the frame. Consider your viewfinder a window. By slightly tilting your camera, you are able to emphasize either the foreground or the sky.

Your assignment: Photograph a landscape two ways. In one photo, center the horizon line, as in photo "A". Immediately photograph the landscape again with the horizon line one third from the top or one third from the bottom of the frame. In photo "B", I tilted the camera up, slightly. As a result, the image appears less static.
The RULE OF THIRDS applies to a vertical landscape scene, too. In photo "C", I tilted the camera down in order to emphasize the foreground. Please note that the term, "RULE OF THIRDS", is a descriptive name and you are not expected to measure an exact 1/3 increment in your photo of a landscape.

C

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© Walt Croxton