the foto finch series

hello friends!  today i’m excited to start something i’ve been working on for a little while!

everyone takes pictures, right?  your mom, your grandma, your quirky uncle with the really nice camera, everyone – even you!  so what’s the difference between someone who just snaps a picture and someone who captures a moment in a way that’s interesting, in a way that makes others go, “wow, that’s…amazing!”

well, there are a couple answers to that question.  first, some people just have “a good eye,” which means they can see things that others may not always see at first glance.  second, there’s know how, and believe it or not, gaining that “know how” will to some extent give you that “good eye.”  that’s what the foto finch series is all about!

if you’ve ever wanted to take better pictures, to capture a moment and tell it’s story instead of just pointing and clicking, the foto finch series was created for you!

so here’s how it works – every week i’ll do a foto finch post (yay!).  it will be about an element of composition or a photography tip or tutorial or even some instruction about using a nicer (dslr) camera.  the post will be complete with photo examples to help you really understand and apply the info.

at the end of each post, you can expect a two sections:

1. “in summary” – exactly like it says.  this section will summarize the post info.  it will also include a little 4×6 card (pdf style that you can download) on the info we just covered.  you can print these cards and stash them in your camera bag or even put them on your phone for easy reference no matter where you are!
2. “it’s your turn” – this section is my 2 part challenge to you – first, to get your camera out and capture your everyday life in photographs.  take the info you just read and use it!  no one ever thought, “man i wish i hadn’t taken the time to remember the important things in life!”  the second part of the challenge is to share – show your photographs to your spouse, your kids, your friends, people that love you, people that will encourage you and tell you how they think this is the best picture you’ve taken yet!  and share your images with us – post them on treu image photography’s facebook page.  tag treu image and yourself – give everyone a chance to see what your capturing and leave you some love – i promise i will!

today’s post is about an element of composition called the rule of thirds.  the idea is to imagine lines that divide your picture into thirds either vertically or horizontally.  go ahead, imagine it!  got it?  now, when taking a picture, place your subject along one of those dividing lines.  here, let me explain…

for most people, it’s natural to place your subject in the center of your picture, kind of like this…

this is fine, but look what happens when you move the subjects to only one third of the picture.

it automatically makes the picture more interesting and adds context to the image.

i’ve added a grid to the second picture.   notice how the subjects are placed around one of the grid intersections.  you don’t have to get them exactly at an intersection, but the idea is to imagine this grid and keep them around one or more of the dividing lines.

here are a few more examples…btw, check out ethan’s chubby goodness!

in the next picture, ethan is naturally leaning to the left, so it made sense to capture him that way.  pay attention to what looks natural and go with it!

here’s an engagement picture of my cousin and his beautiful bride – notice how they are placed on both the left and bottom third of the frame.

last example – again, it’s natural for the larger space to be on the left since he is facing that way.  it also gives room for his body.

okay friends, i hope that helps explain the rule of thirds!

placing your subject in the top, bottom, right, or left third of your frame will make your picture more interesting and take your image from bland to captivating!

click the link below to download your rule of thirds reference card!

rule of thirds

get your camera out this week and use the rule of thirds when taking your photos.  then share them!  i promise people want to see them! and don’t forget about us!  post them on treu image photography’s facebook page – tag treu image photography and yourself – give everyone a chance to see what you’re doing and leave you a little love in the comments section – i will!

alright, until next time – have fun capturing your everyday!