The Rules of PhotographyUnit 57: Photography and Photographic Practice Terminology

P1, P2, M1, M2

Ken Ishii

Rule of thirds

• In the rule of thirds, photos are divided into thirds with two imaginary lines vertically and two lines horizontally making three columns, three rows, and nine sections in the images.

Examples of Rule of thirds

Framing• Framing in photography is a

technique used to project an image so as to completely focus a viewer's attention on the subject. Doorways and archways are usually added to an image when framing. Using a frame within a frame is a technique that brings out depth, and it can be done using Photoshop.

Leading Lines

• Leading lines are lines within an image that leads the eye to another point in the image, or occasionally, out of the image.

Balancing Elements

• Placing your main subject off-centre, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a void in the scene which can make it feel empty.

Symmetry & Patterns• Symmetry & patterns can be a

natural symmetrical image or one that is created, the mirror image makes the photograph interesting to look at as its quite hard to find something that is perfectly symmetrical.

• They can have strong graphic elements – Lines, Shapes, Colours – Repeat themselves

Depth of Field

• Depth of field means the sharp area surrounding the point of focus. The magnitude of the sharp area is affected by several factors: distance between the camera and the subject, focal length and aperture.