1. The Rules of Photography
Unit 57: Photography and Photographic Practice Terminology
P1, P2, M1, M2
Megan Robinson

2. Rule of thirds
It’s to imagine breaking an image down
into thirds – both horizontally and
vertically so that you have 9 parts.
Division of composition/photograph so
that the focal point is on one of the
intersections.
The best way to do for portrait is that
people’s eyes usually go to one of the
intersection points to make more
naturally rather than the centre of the
shot. The natural way people look at
the image is by using the rule of thirds,
they don’t focus on the middle.
For example the message in the bottle
is on the right rather than being in the
centre. This makes it the focus of the
image.
Fibonacci

3. Framing
Technique is used to
focus on a subject of
your image by blocking
other parts of the image
with something in the
scene.
For example the image
of the bird is framed by
what seems like a
gate/fence which makes
the bird have more
clarity.

4. The use of lines can be used to direct
the viewers attention to the subject
of your photograph.
The lines can be straight, diagonal,
wavy, or any other creative variation
and can be any shape such as the
image of the woman smiling, this is a
leading line but is different because it
is not just horizontal or vertical. The
woman’s arm leads you towards her
face.
Leading lines can
direct away from
the photography
subject. Also eye is
being led from the
front to the back.
Leading Lines

5. Balancing Elements
There should be a
subject on your
intersection but it is
balanced by something.
You should balance the
weight of your subject
by including
another object of a
lesser importance to
the space.
For example in the
image to the right of
the building and the
sign, the building is a
balancing element
because the sign stands
out on the intersection.

6. Symmetry creates a strong visual
focal point if it is a mirror image.
Symmetry shows balance and
proportion. It is a form of pattern
that is often related with
perfection and the space around
us, often through reflection and
rotation.
Patterns appear whenever strong
graphic elements – lines,
colours, shapes, or forms
– repeat themselves.
Symmetry & Patterns
The zebras image uses
both symmetry and
patterns because it is like
a mirror image and the
pattern of the zebra
attracts the viewer to the
image.

7. Depth of Field
Depth of field occurs as a gradual
change. Depth of field is in strong
definition, most clear, can be
foreground or background.
Shallow depth of field is where the
subject is clearer and the background is
out of focus. An example of this is the
image of the converse where the
converse are in clear definition and the
background is not focussed.
Deep depth of field is where the subject
is in the background and is sharper than
the foreground. An example of this is
the gnomes, the gnome in the
foreground is out of focus and the other
gnome in the background is more
focussed and clear.