Teaching a class on the “Rule of Thirds” bothers me slightly.
Why? Because I break the “rule” more than I follow it. I teach my students the “Suggestion of Thirds” to be completely honest.
It isn’t because the “Rule” isn’t relevant. It works, it is a mathematical and logical truth of our world, how nature works, and what is “attractive” to the brain.
However, just like nature, if it all followed the “rules” all the time, how boring would that be?
But much of this photography class is the teaching of concepts, then go practice it. I was told by a wise photoman once that learning photography is just a collection of little tricks and techniques and putting them in your bag of skills. Then, when you’re called upon to do it, you pull out that tool and use it.
Banging away at the “Rule of Thirds” is just one such situation.
Some people photograph for years before knowing that they just naturally “see” a photograph in such a way. They almost have to be trained away from composing in this way.
It is exciting to see my students trying new things. “Is there a way to compose a tree using the rule of thirds when there’s not a real focal point to be on one of the thirds?”
Then, they realize that its not just the single spot, its the frame as a whole.
And then, I am taught something.
I am taught that maybe teaching is not just showing someone that this thing works a certain way or this piece of knowledge is relevant in some way…
…maybe the most important part of teaching is helping a person get out of their own “way” and seeing that “because it is just done that way” is a really sucky reason to do anything.
But that’s a diatribe I’ve been on before… a soapbox for some other day.
If photography was like medicine, I’m sure it might be a little bit more important that you followed the rules. Photography is an art, and beauty is beauty – no matter where it happens to be placed in the frame.
Stay tuned…
-Noah D.
