Photography Guidelines

Photographers know that in order to make their pictures interesting it is helpful to follow a few guidelines. Today I’ll write about two of them and use some of my own pictures as examples.

The first is the Rule of Thirds.

The rule of thirds simply states that the main focus of your photo should not be placed in the center. Instead, move the focus up and to the right or left, or down and to the right or left. If you are taking a picture of a sunset, for example, you could take the picture with the horizon towards the bottom of picture instead of in the middle.

Look at the photo above. This is a picture I took in Pompeii, Italy. In the year 79 AD, the volcano, Vesuvius, erupted and the lava destroyed the nearby city of Pompeii. In the background of the photo you can see Vesuvius. In the foreground are two large pots that were used in Pompeii before the eruption.
This photo is a good example of the rule of thirds. Notice that it has been divided into nine equal parts. The horizon is located in the upper third of the picture while the foreground, the pots, are located in the lower third. Now look at the lower left hand corner. The main focus of the foreground can be found here, in the bottom left ninth of the photo. The main focus of the background, the volcano, is in the upper right ninth.

The second is the Diagonal Rule.

This rule says that the photo will be more interesting if the important points are placed on a diagonal line. This is especially useful when taking pictures of roads or rivers but can be used when photographing any subject.
The photo of Pompeii with Vesuvius in the background is an example of the diagonal rule but it is easier to see the diagonal in the photo of the cows shown here. This photo was taken in the Alps in Switzerland.
Next time you take pictures, try to use the Rule of Thirds and the Diagonal Rule to make your photos more interesting. Try to get used to not putting the main subject in the center of your pictures and you will notice how much better your pictures become.

More photography guidelines to come later on.

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