I Am a Rule of Thirds Convert

I am always pleased when I encounter writings that say what I think in ways that are much more understandable than I am able to say it. I have a problem with rules, all rules not just the rules of photography, but especially rules of photography, of conventional photographic wisdoms (which aren’t wisdoms at all but acceptable homogenizations to assure that no one becomes better photographers than those who spout the rules.)

One that is so prevalent that I rail about the most is The Rule of Thirds. I came across a post today that has a rule of thirds that I can support 100%, The Rule of Thirds on Cole Thompson’s blog.

In Within the Frame, David duChemin writes: ”Three images go into making your final photograph. The first is the image you visualize—the story you are compelled to tell. The second is the scene you capture with the camera. The third is the image you refine in post production. The better we are at all of these, the closer our final photograph will come to reflecting our initial vision. The more harmoniously the artist and the geek can coexist and the better they both are at what they do, the more powerful and powerfully communicated our vision will be.”

I frequently refer to that quote in many of the critiques that I do. Cole Thompson’s rule of thirds is saying the same thing, “A great image is comprised of 1/3 vision, 1/3 the shot and 1/3 processing.”  That one I can fully support.