Fill the frame and RoT?

[Michele]

Filling the Frame and Rule of Thirds

How would you manage to justify both of these rules(guidelines) in the same picture. I have been looking back through some of my pictures trying to crop them in more interesting ways. But when I try to fill the frame with my subject they always end up in the center, then the RoT is shot.

For instance these 2 pics
Before

After

Before

After

Those may not be very good examples, or maybe RoT is a better rule to follow with a non-people shot.

I guess show me an example of filling the frame where the subject isn't the center of the picture.

 

[alan]

I would suggest that your cropped picture of the ... thing ... with the number "6" on it is pretty following the RoT. Certainly on the vertical axis it is.

I think that the RoT works best if there is something in the other 2/3s that is worth seeing (I am the merest amateur when it comes to composition, I should emphasise). So if your background isn't terribly attractive (eg the gate pillar to the right of the fairy) then I'd be inclined to ditch the RoT and just fill the frame with the subject...

But as I say, there are many others who can probably do a much better job than I could on this.

regards,
/alan

 

[cpbjgc]

Here is a picture of my son which I think shows a composition using the two concepts you want:

In this shot I filled the frame (mostly) with my subject (my son), but the focus of the picture is his face which follows the RoT. So you can do both.

As I understand these guidelines, the point with filling the frame is to help define the subject of the picture - by filling it with the subject you are losing distractions that might pull your eye somewhere else.

The RoT has to do with picking the actual part of the subject you want to focus on, where you want the viewer's eye to be drawn.

Hope this helps!

 

[Michele]

It does, thanks!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Remember that all composition "rules" are guidelines. It's definitely true that some of them can be in conflict. The big ones I try to think through in rough order of importance to me:

1) Fill the Frame
2) Balance
3) Rule of Thirds
4) Nothing growing out of my subject's head
5) Low horizon for sense of space, high horizon for sense of height
6) Triangles
7) Groups of three
8) What's for lunch?

 

[mabas9395]

And #9) This is not for fun, art or preserving memories. This is all a competition to get the best shot with the biggest, baddest equipment. If you are enjoying yourself, you aren't trying hard enough. And if your subjects are enjoying themselves, you are really doing something wrong!

(I hope I don't have to explain that I am joking - just remember to have fun too)

 

[Alacrity]

And #9) This is not for fun, art or preserving memories. This is all a competition to get the best shot with the biggest, baddest equipment. If you are enjoying yourself, you aren't trying hard enough. And if your subjects are enjoying themselves, you are really doing something wrong!

(I hope I don't have to explain that I am joking - just remember to have fun too)

So SMILE NOW! I mean it! Say CHEESE or else!



<click>

oh rats..forgot to turn off the compensation...OK lets do it again...SMILE...

 

[emmabelle]

And #9) This is not for fun, art or preserving memories. This is all a competition to get the best shot with the biggest, baddest equipment. If you are enjoying yourself, you aren't trying hard enough. And if your subjects are enjoying themselves, you are really doing something wrong!

that's awesome!

 

[poppyolivia]

Been learning about this today...just thought I'd say!! Thanks to Marks thread that Andy showed me!

 

[MICKEY88]

Here is a picture of my son which I think shows a composition using the two concepts you want:

In this shot I filled the frame (mostly) with my subject (my son), but the focus of the picture is his face which follows the RoT. So you can do both.

As I understand these guidelines, the point with filling the frame is to help define the subject of the picture - by filling it with the subject you are losing distractions that might pull your eye somewhere else.

The RoT has to do with picking the actual part of the subject you want to focus on, where you want the viewer's eye to be drawn.

Hope this helps!

but then there is the rule of composition that says the subject should never be looking out of the picture or appear to be leaving the picture, they should appear to be entering, or facing the center...

 

[cpbjgc]

That's why I said it only covered the two "guidelines"

 

[MICKEY88]

That's why I said it only covered the two "guidelines"

that's why I stopped following those darn rules years ago,

I'm old I don't have to follow rules anymore...

 

[jann1033]

yeah once you get to 50+ people call you "eccentric" instead of "weird", or wait maybe it's "weirdly eccentric", my old brain forgets but they expect you to not obey rules

but anyway couldn't cpbjgc just have cropped it closer to his back and solved the problems, looking into the body of the photo and rot would have still been ok as well as filling the frame. eyes are a little low maybe but unless you cut off his head.....

personally i think balance is my downfall, i always have this blank corner some where...lets do that next( it's all about me)

 

[PhotobearSam]

 

[JR6ooo4]

This one covers three thirds and fills the frame:

Mikeeee