Rule Of Thirds - DPChallenge Forums

04/02/2002 04:30:57 PM · #1

Okay okay, I went to art school, but I have no clue what people are talking about when they say I'm properly using the 'Rule Of Thirds' and 'Leading Lines'. The critiquing article posted in another thread also mentions these concepts, and a few others! I didn't take any photography or composition classes, and while I get a general idea based on the names alone, some formal definitions and examples might be nice for those of us who are winging it. :)

I demand a reply, mikeys_bistro! For thou art the one who's most clearly expressed the flaws in so many people's composition, using concrete, undertandable terms, and with suggested remedies! Pony up!

Shiiizzzam

Sony DSC-F707

04/02/2002 04:50:24 PM · #2

Mousie..this is what I was studying earlier today. I hope it helps explain Leading Lines:)

//www.aea1.k12.ia.us/lois/leadinglines.html

edit: The Rule of Thirds is there also.

* This message has been edited by the author on 4/2/2002 4:51:03 PM.

04/02/2002 07:01:54 PM · #3

That site has a clear, concise explanation... thank you! It's great to have the words to think about stuff like composition, it's much harder making a conscious decision about what you're doing if you're not hip to the lingo. The *best* part about art school for me wasn't making art, it was learning the language to describe, analyze, and critique art. Words are powerful things! They can take the unconscious and put a symbolic handle on it so you can deliberately play with concepts that were only intuitions before they're described. I know I'll be thinking all about it when I go hiking with my camera this weekend. :)

jbruno1397

Canon PowerShot S40

04/02/2002 08:10:37 PM · #4

please I need some help how do I reduce the image size to 150kb???
i've figured out how to make it 640x480 please help

04/02/2002 08:18:03 PM · #5

When you save an image as a jpeg, you should be given the opportunity to chose a compression setting, usually between 1 and 12. The average 640X480 picture will compress to about 150K at a setting close to 9, lower if there's a lot of detail, and higher if there's lots of flat areas. What software are you using to save your images?

jbruno1397

Canon PowerShot S40

04/02/2002 08:31:35 PM · #6

hey mousie ease up on the booze i need your help photoshop 6.1

* This message has been edited by the author on 4/2/2002 8:32:12 PM.

04/02/2002 08:51:14 PM · #7

Originally posted by jbruno1397:
hey mousie ease up on the booze i need your help photoshop 6.

Choose File|Save as. This should open a file save dialog. Choose JPG from whatever drop down appears offering file type options (differs from MAC to WIN.) Choose a location and name and click save. You'll then get one last options window with the slider Mousie was talking about. I generally choose 8, but sometimes have to go back and start over saving at 6 or 7. If you save a JPG multiple times, it will start to degrade it, hence why I start over with the original if my result is a bit too big. Since the modifications are so limited here, there should not be a big list to have to redo.

04/02/2002 08:51:20 PM · #8

Okay, in Photoshop, after you resize your image to proper size, choose File > Save As... This will pop open a dialog that will let you save the picture as one of many file types. Select jpeg, and click okay. Another dialog will pop up with jpeg compression settings, with a slider to control the amount of compression. The smaller the value the MORE compression it will do. Chose a value close to 9 and you should see a file-size estimate at the very bottom of the dialog, if it's less than 150K try moving the slider to the left until it's just under 150K, and vice versa if it's over. Does that help?

04/02/2002 08:53:56 PM · #9

Myk,

I don't think it mangles the image in Photoshop if you save it as a jpeg, you'll only increase the compression artifacting if you close it and re-open it and save it again. That is my impresion, in any case. I will have to do some testing.

How did we get so far off topic? :) Bad jbruno1397!

04/02/2002 08:54:47 PM · #10

Originally posted by Mousie:
at the very bottom of the dialog

Bummer! Photoshop 5 LE doesn't seem to have the reminder at the bottom!!

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

04/02/2002 08:56:31 PM · #11

Originally posted by Mousie:
I don't think it mangles the image in Photoshop if you save it as a jpeg

It will if you save it once, and then save it off as a JPG again. Once you save it as a JPG, the version you're looking at is that JPG, as if you'd opened it fresh. Saving again will increase the artifacts, although generally not all that much. I'm just paranoid...

langdon

Canon EOS-20D

04/02/2002 09:04:23 PM · #12

Originally posted by mykoleary:
Originally posted by Mousie:
[i]at the very bottom of the dialog

Bummer! Photoshop 5 LE doesn't seem to have the reminder at the bottom!![/i]

hey that signature looks familiar.

04/02/2002 09:11:51 PM · #13

Hmmm... if it truly mangled the image in Photoshop to match the saved jpeg, wouldn't that invalidate the edit history? The save operation does not show up as an operation in the edit history list, and I can go back to any edit I'd made before the save. Are you 100% sure, Myk? I'm going to test when it I get home by compressing the hell out of an image, renaming the result, loading the compressed version and comparing them.

My standard MO is to tune the image to where I want it, sharpen it, save off a large version, undo the sharpen, resize it to 640X480, re-sharpen at the new scale, and save a small version. I'm pretty confident it doesn't artifact the open canvas!

Wheee!

* This message has been edited by the author on 4/2/2002 9:14:11 PM.

irae

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 I

04/02/2002 09:26:48 PM · #14

Getting back to the original post, I think that once you understand what the "Rule of Thirds" is, you should start thinking of it as the "Suggestion of Thirds". Don't forget about the Golden Mean, "Rule" of fifths, etc. (See, I'm really not a tightass, soulless drone.)

mcorwin

Canon PowerShot G2

04/02/2002 09:33:59 PM · #15

If you click on the help menu in Photoshop 6.0 the last choice in the dropdown menu is Resize Image, that launches a Resize Wizard. and Presto! your off to the races. It even reminds to to sharpen your image after resizing.

04/03/2002 01:59:36 AM · #16

I have such a blindered view about what I want in my photos that I don't think the Rule Of Thirds is going to enslave me. I know all about ignoring stuff like that! :)

* This message has been edited by the author on 4/3/2002 2:00:29 AM.

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

04/03/2002 06:44:50 AM · #17

Originally posted by Mousie:
Are you 100% sure, Myk

Looks again to be a difference in Photoshop versions. Tried this at work in PS 6 and saw that the saved as image came up as a seperate file, while the original was there unharmed. At home with PS 5 LE/PS 3, no dice. Maybe it's time to spring for an upgrade...

mikeysbistro

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

04/03/2002 04:49:21 PM · #18

Originally posted by Mousie:
I demand a reply, mikeys_bistro! For thou art the one who's most clearly expressed the flaws in so many people's composition, using concrete, undertandable terms, and with suggested remedies! Pony up!

Well, I didn't see this post until now, but Shiizam's recommended site is quite good!

-> A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

The only thing I would add are these pages that give you words to describe visual images: Principles of Design AND Elements of Design... make sure to click on EACH WORD within the lists, there is a depth of art/design information that's quite useful.

Now don't go thinking I'm an expert! I'm just an amateur trying to figure out how to make my photos better :-)

* This message has been edited by the author on 4/3/2002 5:07:29 PM.