Page 24 - 2018 MAY/JUNE Outdoor Oklahoma

Use the Rule of Thirds WADE frEE/ODWC

The rule of thirds is among the most useful techniques in com-
posing good photographs. It's an important method to learn, as it
helps create images that are more engaging to the eye and visually
better balanced.
The rule of thirds can be described as using imagined guidelines
to divide your field of view into thirds both horizontally and vertical-
ly, which creates nine boxes of the same size. Then the subject(s)
of your photo are aligned with those guidelines or their intersection
points, and placing the horizon on the top or bottom line.
As mentioned, these guidelines are often just imagined by the
photographer as he or she looks through the viewfinder. Or the
photographer can rely on built-in camera features that display the
guidelines on the camera’s digital screen or in the viewfinder. On
mobile devices, simply turn on the grid function found under cam-
era settings and you will see the intersecting lines to help you com-
pose appealing shots.

The subject of the photo at right is the attentive bird dog. Notice how the dog’s
face perfectly aligns with intersecting guidelines? Don’t forget the background!
Although the hunter is not in focus, he aligns with a guideline, perfectly balancing
the picture.
kELLy ADAmS/ODWC

The patient dove hunter and horizon line are both aligned along guidelines. Situating the horizon along a guideline ensures a straight picture.

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