2/3 's rule (Page 3): The 2/3's rule probably refers to the myth regarding depth of field distribution - 1/3 in of the total depth of field will be in front and 2/3 in back. If you...

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Jbravi wrote:

Can someone please explain this to me.
Thank you

The 2/3's rule probably refers to the myth regarding depth of field distribution - 1/3 in of the total depth of field will be in front and 2/3 in back. If you focus at 15 ft with a Canon crop camera, using a 50mm lens at F8, the total depth of field is almost 9 ft. So according to the rule - 33% of the depth of field will extend in front of the subject and 67% will extend behind. The real numbers are 36% and 64% which are close enough.

However, if you do nothing but increase the focus distance to 30 ft the depth of field becomes 47.8 ft, with only 22% of that distance in front being in acceptable focus and 78% being in focus behind that point.

The other interpretation of 1/3 - 2/3 comes from project management and it refers to allocating time to a project. Spend no more than 1/3 of the estimated time for a project in the planning stages, and 2/3 of the time in execution.

I don't think your question refers to composition.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

ClarkG wrote:

It’s meant to keep a photographer from always “centering” the subject. Which can be boring.

And even that rule should be broken from time to time. Like a landscape or street photographer taking a hike or walk about town without a camera so they can see differently.

cdayton

CHG_CANON wrote:

66% of all statistics are wrong.

Actually, there are 3 types of statisticians - those who can count and those who can’t count. PS I’m a statistician.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Jbravi wrote:

Can someone please explain this to me.
Thank you

I think you are talking about the role of thirds, which involves mentally dividing up your image using 2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines. You then position the important elements in your scene along those lines, or at the points where they meet.

https://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds/

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

It’s kinda like the decorators guide of “when grouping objects never have an even number in the group.” Apparently we humans are bored by balance and even-ness. Being off-center or odd imparts a dynamic or tension that piques our interest.

Stan

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Jbravi wrote:

Can someone please explain this to me.
Thank you

There is so many videos on this topic...give them a try.

Cheers!

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

Just be aware that like many suggestions couched as "rules," it's a good guide, but you don't go to jail or get ostrasized for breaking it.

MrMophoto Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"

I guess not many UHHers have gone to a traditional art school. What this whole thread is referring to is composition. This is a very basic concept in art, ALL art! I teach photography in a public high school art dept., half my curriculum deals with the technical side of photography, the other deals with the aesthetic side (the "art" side) and that is 99% composition. When I introduce the concept of composition I post two documents I generated some time ago that describes about ten different (what I have come to call) "compositional structures", ways of placing different elements of the photos in relation to the picture plane that it creates an interesting image as a whole and keeps the viewer interested in the image.

willaim Loc: Sunny Southern California

The "Rule of thirds' is just a guide to help in composing a picture that is not boring. At times rules are made to be broken.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

MrMophoto wrote:

I guess not many UHHers have gone to a traditional art school. What this whole thread is referring to is composition. This is a very basic concept in art, ALL art!

The "whole thread" is mostly guessing the OP's intent with his/her cryptic title. It could easily be as Gene wrote about at the top of page 3: focusing for maximum depth of field.

But since you have education and experience with composition, it would be great if you'd host a weekly topic in main discussion forum to teach aspects of same. Thanks!

dwwhite581963 Loc: Buffalo,ny Greensboro,NC

Jbravi wrote:

Can someone please explain this to me.
Thank you

The rule of 2/3 is simple. When shooting a landscape photo never split the horizon in the middle of the frame (vertically) You should have the horizon on the bottom 1/ 3 or the top 1/3 thus leaving 2/3 for the opposite side of the image.

photogeneralist Loc: Lopez Island Washington State

Today I ran across a reference to "power quads"' where the frame is divided into 4 quadrants and the important parts of the image go into one of the quadrants. Seems like it does almost the same thing as rule of thirds. Except perhaps help with horizon placement since the horizon should probably occur in at least two quads. There is also the rule of fifths in which the frame is divided into fifths horiz. and vertically. The outer corners of the 9 areas occupy 2/5 horiz and vert leaving the center of the 9 spaces at only 1 /5 horiz. and vert. This results in a slightly more centered "rule of thirds" like composition. Both approaches move the subject off dead center and influence the photographer to create a photo with more left right balance. Use whatever mental devices you want to as a reminder to not center the subject unnecessarily unless you are trying for a symmetrical composition.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Linda From Maine wrote:

The "whole thread" is mostly guessing the OP's intent with his/her cryptic title. It could easily be as Gene wrote about at the top of page 3: focusing for maximum depth of field.

But since you have education and experience with composition, it would be great if you'd host a weekly topic in main discussion forum to teach aspects of same. Thanks!

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

Linda From Maine wrote:

The "whole thread" is mostly guessing the OP's intent with his/her cryptic title. It could easily be as Gene wrote about at the top of page 3: focusing for maximum depth of field.

But since you have education and experience with composition, it would be great if you'd host a weekly topic in main discussion forum to teach aspects of same. Thanks!

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

anotherview wrote:

One source introduces the Rule of Thirds this way:... (show quote)

You are so very correct about studying composition. I started out learning how to take tack sharp images. Mastered that in a couple months. My wife has a nack for composition. Here photos are not tack sharp but the composition makes her photos better than mine. So now I'm on the long road to learning an artform. I've always been good at perfection or as close as we humans can get to it. I have no artist talent. I cut gemstones but that is simply almost perfection. So in a few millenniums I'll be able to take beautiful photo tack sharp. Lol. Maybe.