Rules of photography

Rule of Thirds The rule of thirds is where the photo can be split in to 9 sections. (3 lines horizontally and 3 vertically.) When using the rule of thirds photographs look better when the area of interest is not based in the centre. For example if the photo is off to the left it can make it more interesting.

Leading lines The leading lines rule is so you can draw your eye deeper in to the photo so see the tiny details of the shot. Leading lines can also direct you to a part of the photo you may not of recognised otherwise. But you have to be careful as you don’t want the viewer or lead them away from the main subject. Leading lines can be found all around you, on the floor and on walls etc;

simplicity The simplicity rule is what it says it is. Keep your photo simple and that if your zoomed in close make sure your background is out of the shot or out of focus so nothing stands out. You don’t want anything to take your eye away form the main part. Try and make your main part of your photo is the dominating part in the finished photo.

Straight horizon The straight horizons rule is usually forgotten and some people may not think that its necessary. But a good thing is that its on most software problems. To get your straight horizons right you can use your ‘rule of thirds’ on your camera to help you get that straight line.

framing The framing rule in photography is where natural surroundings can add more focus and meaning to the to the main area. The natural background can be anything form plants, trees even doors. But make sure that you are focused on the main part in your shot and use a high f/stop for depth of field. Framing can be really easy and natural or really difficult and staged. I believe a natural frame works best as it flows with the image.

perspective Change in the perspective can add detail to a photo. It’s all about changing your body position to affect the photo. It could be just moving a couple of steps to the side, or taking the photo at an angle, from a birds eye view position. Or through a window or a surface. Or you can just buy different lenses to create a different effect in photography. For example moving a person from the centre of the camera to the side with an upward angle can make the person look more dominating and intimidating.

colour The colour rule in photography can affect someone's emotion and mood when they look at a photo. The blues and the greens are used to make a serene and tranquil environment. Whilst the yellows and reds create warmth. But reds and oranges could create a kind of dangerous environment if used right. You can also use colours to develop a different effect.

symmetry If you just take a standard photo with just a main focus and nothing else it can look boring. But if the image has symmetry then it opens up a whole new thing. Landscapes and floral images are used with symmetry as they work best.

cropping The cropping rule is where the shot you have with all the zoom is perfect but looks lost with all the background! Cropping allows you to get rid of the background and have whatever you want and take a new perspective on your photo.