The Golden Mean

Let's start with an introduction of a technique that is well known for many centuries now: The "Golden Mean" (sometimes called "Golden Section") is a geometric formula by the ancient Greeks. A composition following this rule is thought to be "harmonious". The principal idea behind it is to provide geometric lines which can be traversed when viewing a composition. The Golden Mean was a major guideline for many artists/painters so it is certainly worth having in mind for modern day photographers as well.

Well, let's begin with some words about the theory. The formula starts with a perfect square (marked blue in illustration A). Now we divide the base of the square into two equal parts. We take point x as the middle of a circle with a radius of the distance between point x and y. Thereafter we expand the base of the square till it hits the circle at point z. Now the square can be transformed to a rectangle with a proportion ratio of 5:8. The ratio of A to C is the same as the one from A to B. Luckily the 5:8 ration fits pretty close to the ratio of the 35mm format (24x36mm = 5:7.5).

Illustration A Theory - Part II

So now we've something which is thought to be a "perfect" rectangle. What's next? We draw a line from the upper left to the lower right edge of the rectangle (see illustration B) and another line from the upper right directed towards point y' (taken from illustration A) till it hits the first cross line. Obviously this divides the rectangle into three different sections. In principle we're finished with the "Golden Mean" now. Just try to find objects/parts in your scene that fit roughly into these three sections and ... you have a "harmonious" composition.

You can vary the formula by flipping and/or mirroring the schematic rectangle from illustration B.

Illustration B

Rule of Thirds

The "Rule of the Thirds'' is actually nothing else than a simplification of the "Golden Mean". The basic philosophy behind it is to avoid a symmetric composition which is usually pretty boring because the view is centered. The connection to the "Golden Mean '' are the 4 possible crossings of the dividing lines (see the examples in illustration C1 and C2).

To counteract symmetry the "Rule of the Thirds" can follow two concepts: First we can divide the image into two distinctive areas which cover 1:3 and 2:3 of the size of the picture.

Illustration C1

The second possible application is directly based on the crossing points of the Golden Mean. e.g Let's assume that we have a landscape that is pretty charming but lacks a major feature or interesting geometric structure. The resulting image is a boring picture of an empty landscape. So what can we do here? Try to find an object which provides a contrast to the otherwise "monotonous" surrounding and place it at one of these crossing points. This object is an anchor for the first look and invites to a further observation of the scene.

Illustration C2

The Rule of Thirds is a basic guide that just serves to assist photographers in creating images. It's up to the photographer to decide whether to stick with it strictly or use it as a tool for generating more interesting and dynamic compositions.

It's vital to keep the horizon line in mind while creating a photo utilizing the Rule of Thirds, since it may be utilized to contribute balance. In addition, placing your subject off-center can frequently result in a more dynamic and interesting composition. The Rule of Thirds is an age-old photography composition method that divides the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically. The goal is to place your subject along one of the lines or intersections formed by them.

Framing

Framing is a crucial component of photographic composition. You may create a sense of depth and focus by placing items within the frame, as well as directing the eye to specific areas of the image. Natural frames, such as doorways or windows, or you can construct your own with things in the foreground. Make sure there are no distractions within the frame that would detract from your picture's impact when framing your subject. While breathtaking on-location the final picture looks often much less impressive due to uninteresting space around the object. Try to find a frame which can eliminate the unimportant surrounding and focus the view. The following picture uses the surrounding trees as a sort of portal to frame the mountain in the center.

Natural holes like the one in the next picture are excellent frames.

Lines

It is a good idea to place the start or end of such a line to one of the extreme edges. The use of verticals, horizontals, and diagonals is one of the simplest design elements a photographer can use to lead the eye into the photograph, adding a sense of depth and space. Vertical lines are the most commonly used type of line in photography, as they are found naturally in so many subjects, from forests of trees to cityscapes. Horizontal lines are also found in nature, but not as often as verticals. Diagonals are not often found in nature, but can be created by the photographer when framing the subject. By using lines to lead the eye into the photograph, the viewer will  be drawn into the scene and have a greater sense of depth.

The classical approach states that the upper left edge is the best starting point because most humans start to traverse a picture from here on. However, it cannot hurt to break this rule (see 2nd picture). Just a straight line would be pretty boring though so there should be some sort of disturbance in the picture.The following picture shows a focus point where many lines find together so there are enough directions for the eyes to follow making the picture interesting.

by Horst Scheider

The next picture has two anchors - the boat and the sun shade. These provide just the right amount of disturbance for this otherwise very symmetrical composition.

by Horst Schneider