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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. Uzi, 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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