Photography Explained Podcast

Composition Made Simple: The Rule of Thirds for Beginners

• Rick McEvoy • Episode 221

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📸 Photography Explained Podcast - Episode 221

🎯 Composition Made Simple: The Rule of Thirds for Beginners

Host: Rick McEvoy 🇬🇧 | Duration: ⏱️ 23 minutes

⚡ What Is This?

The Rule of Thirds is a cheat code 🎮 that instantly makes your photos more interesting. Divide your frame into 9 equal parts (like noughts and crosses), place your subject on the lines or intersection points, and watch your photos transform.

Works for cameras 📷 and phones 📱. No jargon. Just results.

🎓 The 7 Essential Tips

📍 1. Position Your Subject

Put eyes on intersection points for portraits. Near the line is fine.

🏔️ 2. Landscape Horizons

Interesting sky? → Horizon on lower third
 Interesting foreground? → Horizon on upper third

🏃 3. Action & Movement

Give moving subjects space to move into the frame.

⚠️ 4. Avoid These Mistakes

  • Don't obsess over pixel-perfect alignment
  • Don't forget about your background
  • Don't use it mindlessly

🔓 5. When to Break the Rule

Symmetry, patterns, and tight portraits often work better centered.

🔗 6. Combine with Other Techniques

Use with leading lines, negative space, and framing.

🏛️ 7. Architectural Photography

Position buildings on vertical lines. Keep verticals vertical.

📋 Quick Recap

The Grid: 2 horizontal + 2 vertical lines = 9 equal parts
The Power Points: 4 intersection points where lines cross
The Default: Use it for everything until you know when to break it

🎬 Your Challenge

1️⃣ Turn on your grid (Settings → Camera → Grid)
 2️⃣ Take 3 photos using the Rule of Thirds
 3️⃣ Take the same 3 photos centered
 4️⃣ Compare and see the difference

📱 Phone Users

iPhone: Settings → Camera → Grid ✅
Android: Camera app → ⚙️ → Grid Lines ✅

Pro Tip: Tap to focus on intersection points = perfect focus + composition! 🎯

🔗 More Episodes

📻 220: The Photographer's Eye - See Great Photos Before You Take Them
📻 218: Train Your Eye - Master Photography Right Where You Are
📻 217: The Art of Light - From Harsh to Heavenly

🚀 Next Week: Episode 222

The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 20 Essential Tips

Rick's going through 220+ episodes to pull out the absolute best. Can't wait! 🤩

🔗 Connect with Rick

🌐 RickMcEvoyPhotography.com
▶️ YouTube: Search "Rick McEvoy"
🎓 Course: How to Become a Real Estate Photographer
📧 Weekly emails | 💬 Text Rick from the podcast feed

🥪 Episode Sponsor

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Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com

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Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Photography Explained Podcast - Episode 221 - Composition Made Simple: The Rule of Thirds for Beginners

Forget everything you've heard about photography rules. The Rule of Thirds isn't a rule—it's a cheat code that'll instantly make your photos more interesting. And I'm going to show you exactly how to use it, right now.

You know that feeling when you take a photo and it just looks... off? The subject's there, the lighting's decent, but something's not quite right? Nine times out of ten, it's your composition. And the quickest fix? It is probably the Rule of Thirds.

This isn't some complicated photography theory that takes years to master. This is a simple grid that photographers have been using for decades because it just works. Your camera probably already has it built in—you just need to know what to do with it. And your phone probably has it too.

Today, I'm going to break down the Rule of Thirds in the simplest way possible. No jargon, no complicated explanations. Just practical advice that'll change how you take photos from this moment forward. Whether you're shooting landscapes, portraits, your lunch, a cheese and pickle sandwich, or your cat—this works for everything.

Hello and welcome to episode 221 of the Photography Explained Podcast titled “Composition Made Simple: The Rule of Thirds for Beginners”.

A very good morning, good afternoon, or good evening to you, wherever you are in the world. 🌍 I'm your host, Rick, hi 👋, and in each episode, I try to explain one photographic thing to you in plain English in less than 27 minutes (ish) ⏱️, without the irrelevant details. Yes, really. 😉

I'm a professionally qualified photographer based in England 🇬🇧 with a lifetime of photographic experience, which I share with you in my splendid podcast. 🎙️ How utterly splendid. 🤩

Let's get into this.

Understanding the rule of thirds

Right, let's start with what this thing actually is. Imagine your photo divided into nine equal parts by two horizontal lines and two vertical lines—like a noughts and crosses grid, or tic-tac-toe if you're in the States. That's it. That's the Rule of Thirds grid.

The theory is simple: instead of putting your main subject bang in the middle of the frame, you place it along these lines or at the points where they intersect. These intersection points are called power points, and they're where your viewer's eye naturally wants to look.

As I said before, your camera or phone probably has this grid already built in. On most cameras, you'll find it in the display settings menu. Turn it on, and you'll see these lines overlaid on your screen or viewfinder. On phones, it's usually in the camera settings under "Grid" or "Composition Grid." Switch it on now if you haven't already—you'll thank me later.

Now, why does this work? Our brains don't actually like things centered. Sounds odd, but it's true. Centered compositions can feel static, like a passport photo. But when you offset your subject slightly, it creates visual tension and interest. Your eye moves around the frame rather than just landing in the middle and stopping.

The Rule of Thirds taps into something called the Golden Ratio, which appears throughout nature and art. But you don't need to know the maths—just know that this grid works because it's based on how humans naturally view the world.

And this builds perfectly on what we covered in episode 220, The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It, where I talked about training yourself to see great compositions before you press the shutter. The Rule of Thirds is the practical tool that helps you compose those shots you're learning to see.

Tip 1: How to position your subject using intersection points

When you're composing your shot, you've got four intersection points where those lines cross. These are your target zones. Place your main subject on or near one of these points, and your photo will instantly look more balanced and professional.

For portraits, put your subject's eye on one of the top intersection points. Not their whole face—their eye. The eye is where we connect with people in photos, so that's your anchor point. If you're shooting someone from the side, put their eye on the intersection point that they're facing into. This gives them space to "look into" within the frame, which feels more natural.

Here's something important: the Rule of Thirds doesn't mean your subject has to be exactly on the line or point. Think of it as a guide, not a laser target. Near the line works just as well. If your subject is roughly in that area, you're doing it right.

Tip 2: Where to place the horizon in landscape photography

For landscapes, use the horizontal lines to position your horizon. If you've got a stunning sky, put the horizon on the lower third line. This gives two-thirds of the frame to the sky and one-third to the land. Boring sky but interesting foreground? Put the horizon on the upper third line. Simple as that.

This technique works brilliantly whether you're shooting at golden hour or dealing with harsh midday light—different lighting conditions that we explored back in episode 217, The Art of Light: From Harsh to Heavenly.

Vertical subjects like trees, buildings, or lampposts? Line them up with one of the vertical lines. This works brilliantly for architectural shots or when you're photographing a single prominent object in a scene.

Tip 3: Creating movement and direction in action shots

Action shots benefit massively from the Rule of Thirds. If someone's running, cycling, or moving through the frame, put them on the intersection point they're moving away from. This gives them visual space to move into, which creates a sense of motion and direction.

The same principle applies to gaze direction. If your subject is looking right, put them on the left intersection points. This gives them space to look into within the frame, which feels natural and comfortable.

Tip 4: Common composition mistakes to avoid

 

First mistake people make: being obsessed with perfect alignment. Some people turn on that grid and spend ages trying to get their subject exactly on the line, pixel-perfect. Don't do this. The Rule of Thirds is a guideline, not a law. Near the line is absolutely fine.

Second mistake: using it for everything without thinking. Yes, the Rule of Thirds is brilliant, but it's not the only composition technique that exists. Sometimes breaking the rule creates a stronger image.

Third mistake: forgetting about the background. You can have your subject perfectly positioned on an intersection point, but if there's a lamppost growing out of their head or a bin in the background, the composition still won't work. The Rule of Thirds handles placement, but you still need to watch what's happening in the rest of the frame.

This ties back to what we covered in episode 218, Train Your Eye: Master Photography Right Where You Are, where I talked about really observing your surroundings and noticing what's in your frame before you shoot.

Tip 5: When to break the rule of thirds

Symmetrical subjects often work better centered. Think reflections in water, architectural shots where symmetry is the point, or formal portraits where you want that classic, strong, centered look. If your subject is naturally symmetrical, centering it can create powerful impact.

Patterns and textures that fill the frame don't need the Rule of Thirds. If you're shooting a wall of colorful tiles or a field of flowers, centering the pattern and filling the frame creates its own interest.

Very tight portraits, especially of faces, often work better centered. When you're in close on someone's face, the Rule of Thirds can actually make things feel off-balance.

The key is this: learn the Rule of Thirds, use it as your default, but don't be afraid to break it when you've got a reason to. Or when you want to do something else. Photography is a creative process after all. The difference between a beginner and someone who knows what they're doing is that beginners break the rules by accident, while experienced photographers break them on purpose.

Tip 6: Combining the rule of thirds with other composition techniques

Here's something most people don't talk about: you can use the Rule of Thirds in combination with other composition techniques. Leading lines that guide the eye toward an intersection point? Brilliant. Framing your subject with natural frames while positioning them on an intersection point? Even better.

The Rule of Thirds also works beautifully with negative space. If you've got a small subject in a large empty space, putting that subject on an intersection point makes the composition work while emphasizing the scale and emptiness around them.

Think of the Rule of Thirds as your foundation. It's the first thing you learn, the technique that improves your photos immediately. But as you progress, you'll layer other composition techniques on top of it.

Tip 7: Using the rule of thirds for architectural and building photography

Buildings are perfect for the Rule of Thirds, and this is something I use every single day in my architectural photography work. Here's how to make it work for you.

For single buildings or prominent architectural features, try to place them on one of the vertical lines rather than centering them. This shows the building in context with its environment and creates a more interesting composition than just a straight-on centered shot.

And you can centre a building in a composition and use the rule of thirds to guide your composition and make sure that the building is level and vertical and that there are equal spaces all around, if that is what you want.

When you're shooting tall buildings, think about where you position them vertically too. 

Use the intersection points to place important architectural details—a distinctive roofline, an interesting window feature, or an entrance. This draws the eye to what makes the building special.

For street scenes with buildings, use the vertical lines to balance multiple structures. Put one building on the left third line and another on the right third line. This creates visual balance and shows the relationship between buildings.

Here's a tip specifically for real estate photography: when shooting exteriors, position the building on a vertical third line and use the remaining two-thirds to show the garden, driveway, or surrounding area. This gives potential buyers context about the property and its setting, which is exactly what they want to see.

For interior architectural shots, use the horizontal lines to position floor levels or ceiling heights. In a room with interesting ceiling details, put the ceiling line on the upper horizontal third. For a room with beautiful flooring, put the floor level on the lower horizontal third.

And remember—vertical lines in architecture should be vertical in your photo. Keep your camera level or correct the perspective in editing. The Rule of Thirds handles composition, but wonky verticals will ruin even a perfectly composed building shot.

A QUICK RECAP

Let's sum this up quickly. The Rule of Thirds: divide your frame into nine equal parts with two horizontal and two vertical lines. Place your main subject on or near these lines or at the intersection points where they cross.

For portraits, put the eye on an intersection point. For landscapes, put the horizon on one of the horizontal lines—lower third for interesting skies, upper third for interesting foregrounds. For moving subjects, position them on the intersection point they're moving away from to give them space to move into.

Use it as your default composition tool, but don't be afraid to break it when you've got a good reason—symmetry, patterns, or creating deliberate tension.

Turn that grid on in your camera or phone settings right now. Use it for the next week on every single photo you take. After that, you'll find you don't even need the grid anymore—you'll see the Rule of Thirds in your mind's eye before you take the shot.

And you can use these grid lines to help get a precise composition bang on, even of the final image is not following the rule of thirds. So much to love – how utterly splendid.

Here’s something for you to do dear listener

Take three photos today using the Rule of Thirds. One portrait, one landscape, one of anything else. Position your subjects on the intersection points or lines. Then take the same three photos with your subjects centered. Compare them.

I hope you'll see the difference immediately. The Rule of Thirds versions will look more professional, more interesting, more dynamic.

Once you've done that, spend a day looking at photos in magazines, online, or in galleries. And of course your own photos. Notice where the subjects are positioned. You'll start seeing the Rule of Thirds everywhere—professional photographers use it constantly, you just never noticed before.

What if I use a phone to take photos?

The Rule of Thirds works exactly the same on your phone. In fact, it's even easier because your phone's grid is always right there on the screen.

On the iPhone, go to Settings > Camera > Grid, and switch it on. On Android, open your camera app, go to settings (usually a cog icon), and look for Grid Lines or Composition Grid. I hope that is right for Android – I use an iPhone. Sorry Android people. Now that sounded wrong ha!

Phone cameras actually make the Rule of Thirds easier to use because you can see the grid in real-time and adjust your composition before you take the photo. With a traditional camera, you might be looking through a viewfinder where the grid is harder to see.

One tip for phone photography: use the Rule of Thirds especially when shooting vertical photos for social media. Instagram, TikTok, and Stories all use vertical formats, and the Rule of Thirds stops your subjects from getting lost in all that vertical space.

Yes me giving a tip on taking photos for social media. How utterly ironic!!!

The tap-to-focus feature on phones works brilliantly with the Rule of Thirds. Position your subject on an intersection point, tap it to focus, and you've nailed both focus and composition in one move.

What do I do?

I think you know by now. I use the Rule of Thirds. No surprise there. It's my default starting point for almost every composition. It's become so automatic that I don't even think about it anymore.

I also use the Rule of Thirds in my editing. If I've taken a photo and the composition feels slightly off, I'll crop it in Lightroom using the Rule of Thirds grid. 

But—and this is crucial—I break the rule when it's right to break it. Symmetrical buildings? I center them. Patterns? I fill the frame. The Rule of Thirds is my foundation, but it's not a prison.

Move on Rick

One more thing

Don't get so obsessed with composition that you miss the moment. If you're photographing something spontaneous, something fleeting, take the shot first and worry about perfect composition second. A slightly off-center candid moment beats a perfectly composed missed opportunity every single time.

Remember: the Rule of Thirds gives you better composition, but it's just one tool in your photography toolkit. Master it, use it as your default, but stay flexible. The best photographs often come when you know the rules well enough to break them intelligently.

Some thoughts from the last episode

In episode 220, The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It, I talked about training yourself to see great photographs before you press the shutter. We covered how to look at light first, spot layers and depth, notice patterns and shapes, and anticipate decisive moments.

That episode was all about seeing the potential for great photos. This episode—the Rule of Thirds—is about composing those photos you've learned to see. They work together perfectly. First, you train your eye to spot interesting subjects and moments. Then, you use the Rule of Thirds to compose them effectively.

If you haven't listened to episode 220 yet, go back and check it out. 

NEXT EPISODE 🚀

In the next episode, episode 222, I'm doing something special: The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 20 Essential Photography Tips.

I'm going back through over 220 episodes to pull out the best stuff that I have done so far. Can’t wait to do this. And I have no idea how long this episode will be.

Whether you're new to the podcast or you've been listening from the start, this episode will be packed with takeaways you can use today.

Get in touch & subscribe

If you have enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any future ones. 🔔 For anything else, check out my website, RickMcEvoyPhotography.com, 🌐 where you can find out how to ask a question, ❓ get a weekly email from me, 📧 get in touch, 👋 or find out more about my splendid podcast. 🎙️ And you can text me directly from the podcast feed. 💬 I have a YouTube channel too - type Rick McEvoy into YouTube and you'll find me. ▶️ Finally, check out my courses page, 🎓 where you will find my splendid "How to Become a Real Estate Photographer" course. 🏠

This episode was brought to you by a cheese and pickle sandwich 🥪 and a Coke Zero 🥤, which I consumed before settling into my homemade, acoustically cushioned recording emporium. 🎙️🏡

I've been Rick McEvoy. Thanks again for listening to my small but perfectly formed podcast and for giving me 27 ish minutes of your valuable time. 🙏 I reckon this episode will be about 23 minutes long after editing out the mistakes and bad stuff. ✂️

Thanks for listening 👋

Take care and stay safe. 🛡️ Cheers from me, Rick! 🍻

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