There's no better basic skill to learn in travel photography than understanding the rule of thirds. I can't think of anything else that made a more drastic improvement on my overall photography. Without an understanding of this basic rule, you could spend thousands on the best equipment but still end up with rather underwhelming shots. Keep in mind that as in most arts, even the best techniques have their plateau and can only bring you so far before you'll feel the need to learn more advanced techniques.
Woman working on a rice field in the Vietnamese hillside.
What is the Rule of Thirds?
It is a basic principle that involves breaking up the rectangle frame of an image into thirds, drawing two imaginary lines both vertically and horizontally; essentially breaking the image into 9 smaller rectangles. The points where those four imaginary lines intersect are areas that a photographer should place key elements that they want to bring attention to. People's eyes are more automatically drawn to these points according to studies, rather than directly to the center of an image. Placing the most important elements of a picture right in the center of an image can sometimes come off as boring or awkward. By using the rule of thirds you can immediately signal which areas are important to look at in a more natural way.
Drawing Attention
In photography you have a lot of control in determining where people are going to focus. But where do you want your viewer's attention to go? Do you want it to solely lock onto a single element of a picture? If you are taking a profile shot and want the viewer to gaze into the soul of this person via the eyes, you've got to make sure at least one if not both eyes are configured along the square where the two lines intersect. If you're taking a shot of someone with a python wrapped around their shoulders, is your primary focus the python? Then incorporate that into the thirds square. Or perhaps compose the person's eyes near an upper intersection and the python along a lower one, bringing both into focus.
Keep in mind that a viewer's eyes also shift straight away to high contrast colors in pictures. Although you may have placed everything otherwise correctly, an unimportant bright blue patch of flowers or a red fire truck passing by might be stealing all the attention. Sharpness/blur is another factor that can bring attention to something regardless of where it is in the frame.
Placing the focus on where the tire will be attached.
Relationships between Different Elements in a Picture
How are the elements in a picture either related or interacting? If you've got an action shot of your friend swinging from a vine into a pool of water, ask yourself which elements of that scenario are important. Rather than strictly thinking you need to have someone's head or arms locked into one of the intersecting thirds, perhaps there are other ways of emphasizing elements that could also tell the story. You could bring attention to the actual jump itself by placing their legs or the spot from where they jumped into the crosshairs. Or perhaps you could highlight the calm undisturbed water your friend will be plunging into. What would otherwise be dead space is now the very space that can create anticipation for the coming splash.
Just because your subject isn't in the crosshairs doesn't mean it can't stand out.
Some Rules Are Made to be Broken
Sandwiches are a great invention. Such a simple formula: two slices of bread, tomatoes, lettuce, meat, cheese; a very proven equation for a satisfying lunch. But the result of having a sandwich everyday is heightened intrigue when a different food option comes along. More and more, people are being exposed to high volumes of professional photography with the advent of the internet. Most people have a lot of exposure to pictures that incorporate the rule of thirds. So these days, when a photo breaks the rules, there's an extra element of allure. It puts the viewer into a kind of momentary lost state and forces them to scan around the image to figure it out, needing an extra second or two to process what's going on. This will either leave one with the feeling of being positively impressed, or conversely lead to the perception that your work looks kind of amateur. I would have to say those two outcomes are fairly different in desirability. So how do you lead your viewer to the former and not the latter?
In order to successfully break the rule of thirds, the most important thing is to consider the context. If you take a picture of a nomad gazing out into an endless barren desert, he could be a tiny speck in a corner or even in the middle of the frame, and you could make the shot look perfect. The image would be filled with dead space, and have nothing to do with the rule of thirds, yet it would be successful in capturing the emotional feeling one would have staring out into a vast desert landscape.
If you're shooting an action shot like a person surfing or riding a motorcycle, having crooked lines and unconventional framing will help to give the feeling of movement or excitement. By framing your shot erratically, you can also create the emotional feeling of chaos if you are photographing a protest or busy city street.
Other more advanced methods to look into are: the Fibonacci Spiral, diagonals, leading lines, framing within a frame or dynamic symmetry.
It's hard to find the right balance between following proven principles such as the rule of thirds, trying out more advanced techniques or carving out your own style that is completely unconventional. Ultimately the best thing is to try out different methods and find out what you think brings out the most feeling and effect for a particular shot.
