Throwing the Rule of Thirds Out the Window
« « How to Create a Diptych or Triptych With Impact | A Stamp Collector in South America » »Apr 14th, 2008 | By admin | Category: Technique
I noticed something interesting while browsing Los Angeles advertising photographer Ryan Schude’s website. Take a look at these photos:
The basic composition is the same in each image. An attractive girl standing stiffly in front of a colourful background, holding something in her hands.
The interesting thing is that the girl is positioned in the centre of each photo, completely ignoring the rule of thirds. It’s a stylistic device that links the photos with a weighty, central composition.
I also like the subtle use of colour. In the first image the girl is holding a cake with a red topping in front of a red background (and the yellow dress resonates beautifully), in the second the girl holds a pumpkin in front of an orange background, and in the third the girl holds bananas in front of a yellow house.
What do you think of these photos? Great composition or should the photographer really have moved the model over to the side a bit? Send me your comments below.
Please remember the photos on this post are protected by copyright and that you should contact the photographer for permission to use in any way.
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The rule of thirds mostly applies when there is a complex scene behind or around the main subject.
In the above image they do follow the other rule of center when there is summitry on both halves and he scene is less complex in detail. I like the use of same colour in her hands to the large background colour.
Niels Henriksen
There’s nothing magic about the rule of thirds or any other visual “rule.” Visual artists may choose one arrangement over another to help convey a mood or to strengthen a message — or they may arrange their images without much thought at all.
Since Schude has chosen the same basic design for the three images, it’s clear that he had his reasons for doing it. Moving the subject to one side or another is kind of beside the point. It might be better to ask what he is trying to convey with the design choices he’s made.
I absolutely love them. I think that composition rules can be broken in some cases. I choose to do centre heavy images all of the time. Richard Avedon’s portraits were like that and he is my biggest influence. My photography professors always said that once you’ve mastered the rules than feel free to break them once in a while. Ryan Schude is an unbelievable photographer and if his images followed the rules they would not have the same feeling and effect to them.