So there we have it; possibly the first use of the term Rule of Thirds, though it had in fact already been in use for thousands of years as the Golden Section.
Applying Mr. Smith’s Rule of Thirds (see diagram) to the 35mm frame is becoming more and more commonplace with camera design. Only recently are we finding DSLRs with grids built into the viewing screens, something many of us have been advocating for years. On some models the grid is an option that you turn on inside your menu; on others, it shows up on your monitor when you use Live View.
Although some may disagree, I believe we must be bound by the Rule of Thirds—though if the word bound makes you uncomfortable, feel free to refer to it as the “Suggestion” of Thirds. At its core, the Rule of Thirds can serve you well and should serve as the foundation of every image, much as a firm and solid foundation should be the basis of every house or skyscraper. That said, if you are not clear about what you wish to say in your photograph, then the Rule of Thirds won’t make it any clearer. And unless you have a thorough understanding of the language of line, you will never fully understand why some arrangements fall short.
In the first photograph, the subject is too centered, and with the all-important horizon line in the middle, we are not sure whether the trees or road are the “winning” subject of the image. In the second image, the winner is clear: not the converging parallels of the road but rather the tall trees. By tilting the camera up, I was able to bring the horizon line down to the lower third and place the visual weight on the trees. The soaring trees now call even greater attention to the “smallness of man.”
Both images: Nikon D3X with Nikkor 16–35mm lens, f/16 for 15 seconds, ISO 100