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■ UNDERSTANDING COLOR AND COMPOSITION
Ph o to s © 2008 Ju P i t e r i m a g e s Co r Po r atio n
Figure 1.36 (Left) Raphael. Madonna del Cardellino. 1506. Oil on wood. Uzi, Florence. (Right) da Vinci. Virgin and
Child with St. Anne. 1508. Oil on wood. Louvre, Paris.
Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a compositional technique developed for modern photography
and videography. Simply put, you can take any frame and divide it into three hori-
zontal and vertical sections to determine the alignment of subjects (see Figure 1.37).
For example, you can align a tree, a person, or other vertical element with a vertical
line. You can align the horizon or a building with a horizontal line. The four points
at which the lines cross are considered prime compositional spots and should feature
important details in a shot (for example, a person’s face, the moon, and so on).
Ph o to © 2008 Ju P i t e r i m a g e s Co rP o rat ion
Figure 1.37 A photo divided in accordance to the rule of thirds
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