The first assignment this year was to bring attention to a simple rule that can sometimes make all the difference in good composition. To quote Wikipedia, “The rule of thirds is a ‘rule of thumb’ or guideline which applies to the process of composing visual images such as paintings, photographs and designs. The guideline proposes that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements or the focal point should be placed along these lines or their intersections.”

Although there are times when centering the subject works (rules are meant to be broken), generally speaking the rule of thirds technique creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.

Assignment Photos

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