Rules

There are various "rules" for making good photographs. Now I'm a big follower of rules - my training is as a mathematician and I'm good at programming computers, both of which require the knowledge of and the adherence to various rules and sets of rules. But I've got to wonder sometimes. I was asked to help judge some photographs for a local camera club and happily agreed since it's always good to see what others are doing and give some constructive criticism. One of the other judges nitpicked everything it seemed. And mostly it had to do with "rules".

One of the big rules in photography is the Rule of Thirds. If you divide a photograph into thirds with two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, then the centre of interest should lie on the intersection of a vertical and a horizontal line.

So as you can see in this photo of a boy fishing for carp, he is at the intersection of the right and bottom thirds.


There are various related "rules" that derive from the Rule of Thirds:

• the horizon should never divide the photograph into halves; don't have the horizon in the centre of the photo.
• don't put the subject or centre of interest "dead centre" in the photo.
• don't align verticals down the centre of the photo.
• watch your positioning so that various elements of your photos don't line up one above (or below) the other.
  

The problem I have with rules in photography is that they are really just GUIDELINES! In general, you'll get a better photo if the centre of focus, the subject sits on the intersection of thirds, but not always. Sometimes you can't get that arrangement. Sometimes you don't want that arrangement. But my biggest fear when a photography judge starts invoking rules is that a beginner takes it too much to heart.

In this photo of a "lobster claw" the plant occupies the left two-thirds of the photo. But it works - at least for me and that's what's important. Do YOU like the photo and its arrangement? If you like it then take criticism with a grain of salt. Is it possible to make the photo stronger by moving the centre of interest? In this photo I don't think so because the centre of interest is the whole plant.

In this sunset the horizon is a little crooked - it should be straight! (And I agree on this one - horizons should be horizontal otherwise you get the feeling the water is running out to one side.) But it does lie almost perfectly on the top third.

But the sailboat and the sun both break the "rule". The sailboat is almost dead centre and it is aligned directly under the sun and the sailboat is aligned in the reflection of sunlight in the ocean.

But again, I'm happy with this shot. The reflected sunlight leads you out to the boat and on to the sun as it sets over the Pacific. It works for me. A photo judge may not like it but I don't care!