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Lesson 4: The Rule of Thirds   Here are the same two photos with lines across them dividing them into thirds vertically and horizontally. Where is the seaplane in the photo you liked better? The ancient Greeks discovered the pleasing effect of objects with a rectangular shape. When a picture is divided into thirds, it is often most powerful if the focus of attention is in the intersection of two of the perpendicular lines. The photo on the left above has the plane almost in the center, and it kind of floats there. The plane in the picture on the right is at the intersection of two of the lines, making it a bit stronger. It is also anchored a bit by the building and flag in the righthand third, which balance the plane on the left. Adjust By Cropping Cropping means cutting the picture down, but not necessarily in size. It is possible to take a picture like the one on the left above and cut off some of the "dead space" on the left. The result is a picture that obeys the rule of thirds and has a stronger feel. Assignment Print out a few of your favorite pictures (or gather some from your clipped picture file) Use a ruler to divide the picture into thirds. Where is the action in the picture occurring? Can you find photos that follow this rule? Can you find exceptions? Take a look at these online examples: Kodak Beginnings of Photographic Composition Lesson 1: Starting Out Lesson 2: What makes a strong photograph? Lesson 3: Unclutter Lesson 4: The Rule of Thirds Lesson 5: Interesting Views Lesson 6: Getting Up Close Lesson 7: Photography Projects  Lesson 8: Other Resources