Better Phone Pictures
Hi, a friend asked me, “how to take a good picture? Where should the main subject be placed in the image?” These are good questions. Using the rule of thirds will be your go to resource. The rule of thirds is a tool to create visual pleasing images.
As I have said before, taking better phone pictures begin with taking the shot. Once you have taken the shot, take it again. When you take it again, play with the composition. Change where the main subject is placed.
To enable the rule of thirds grid on your phone, open settings. Scroll down and select camera. Open camera and scroll down to composition and turn on the grid.
When taking landscape photography an example would be placing the horizon not in the middle but instead align on the bottom horizontal line or the top. Giving either the sky or land more space in the composition.
The next two images have special meaning to me. The first, is when I joined my daughter and her family to Florida. Briella was sitting on the beach as the waves were coming in. I just really like this image.
My next example is while me, my mom and daughter went back to Illinois to my Great Aunt’s funeral.
A powerful image. My Great Aunt driving off into heaven. With the leading lines in the road and on the side rail, they draw your eyes into the field of clouds. Very special image for me.
A single object like a person or pet, place one of their eyes on one of the intersecting lines.
One of our usual weekend routine is eating breakfast out and getting groceries. This weekend we went to the Waffle House. While waiting for our breakfast I took the opportunity of taking a picture of the salt and pepper shakers!
Looks good. But then I applied the rule of thirds.
There is no one right way or wrong. It is what you like and what is visual appealing.
The two waffle signs look nice. For the collage I prefer the left image with the sign centered. But if I was just taking the picture of sign by itself with no other images to go with it, I like this shot.
This is why I recommend taking the shot and take it again. It’s much easier to take the image the way you want to start, but there is post editing. In the post editing the image can be cropped, applying the rule of thirds. The post editing can be another post!
Think of the rule of thirds while taking your picture. Consequently, this will become second nature, automatic. You won’t even be thinking of the rule, you’ll just do it.
Most importantly, have fun taking pictures, and taking them again!
Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
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