KID’S PHOTO BASICS: THE GOLDEN RULE

Now that we’ve talked about some of the more basic photography composition rules for kid’s photos, hopefully you’ve had a chance to test them out and incorporate them, it’s time to take it to the next level with a few more advanced ideas.

The golden rule (sometimes called the golden mean) is a more advance version of the rule of thirds, although it works best where there are diagonal lines and triangular-shapes within the frame (although you can use this rule with people too). It divides the frame into three triangles, like so:

Basically, you try to arrange elements in the shot to align with these lines. Here are a few examples:

 

To figure out where to place subjects in the frame you simple draw a line from corner to corner, then a second line from the outside corner 1/3rd of the way to intersect with the diagonal line. It can be a difficult concept to incorporate, you can try using this tool to see if you are getting it right.

By arranging elements using the golden rule, you create a more harmonious and balanced composition. Surprisingly, this rule (and others) are based on naturally-occurring ratios that are found in nature.

Whenever you have diagonal lines in a scene (fences, railings, train tracks) you may be able to use the golden rule to make your composition more powerful. Sometimes turning on the grid feature in your viewfinder can help you to identify good opportunities to use the golden rule. Practice makes perfect!