From the course: Video Journalism: Shooting Techniques

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Adhering to the rule of thirds

Adhering to the rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is a standard photo-composing technique. A better name for it might be the rule of four intersecting lines or even the rule of ninths, but at any rate, this image is what it's all about. As you shoot, think of your viewfinder as being crisscrossed by two sets of equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines. Those lines have a couple of functions. The center of interest of a shot should fall along one of those lines or near one of the four intersections. On the other hand, you should not position the center of interest in the center of the frame. When shooting landscapes, the horizon line in the landscape should more or less match up with the upper or lower horizontal line. It should not run through the center of the viewfinder. These are not hard and fast rules. Consider the rule of thirds more like guidance. Now, when I go out in the field, the rule of thirds is always on my mind. I try to shoot most of my shots to meet those guidelines. So I can't show you every…

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