If you’ve ever sought photography advice online, then chances are you’ve encountered the Rule of Thirds. The idea is to place the most interesting parts of a photo just off-center when having a digital camera shoot to create movement, making the composition more dynamic and consequentially interesting.
However, there’s an even better composition trick out there. When you’re having a digital camera shoot, you should try applying the Golden Ratio instead of the Rule of Thirds. Here’s how you can do it, whether you’re using the best small digital cameras, iPhone cameras, point and shoot digital cameras, still digital cameras, or high-end DSC digital cameras.
Understand the Fibonacci Spiral.
First things first, you should probably get familiar with the Fibonacci Spiral. Essentially, it’s a rectangle that’s perpetually divided into two halves that are at a 1:1.68 ratio. The Fibonacci Spiral is a line that winds its way across this rectangle, ceaselessly curving across the larger part of the bisected rectangles.
How It Applies to Photography.
So how can you use a mathematical principle during a digital camera shoot? Simple. Go back to the Rule of Thirds, which is essentially a simplified version of the Golden Ratio. Imagining a three by three grid is easier than imagining a Fibonacci Spiral, after all. Except instead of putting the focal point you want to capture at one of the grid’s interstices, put it just on the outside.
Using the Golden Ratio.
Once you have an idea of how you want to compose your digital camera shoot, imagine the Fibonacci spiral is laid over the scene you want to capture, with the spiral centering on the most important element of your picture. Then try to arrange the lines of the background, midground, and foreground along the spiral, so that viewers’ eyes are drawn to digital camera shoot’s intended focal point.
It takes some practice, but once you get the hang of the golden ratio, you’ll notice a definite increase in the quality of your pictures. If you have any questions about using the golden ratio in your digital camera shoots, feel free to ask in the comments. Find out more here: www.42photo.com