| Visual
Literacy
How do I make meaning |
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Rule of 3rds
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| Keeping your subject constantly in the middle
of the screen can make for a boring movie. The viewer’s
eyes need to move around the screen so that the placement
of subject in the frame is constantly changing with each shot.
Applying the rule of thirds can help to avoid the problem
of visually dull movies.
To do this, you split the frame into three sections vertically
and horizontally as illustrated below. The most significant
part of the picture should be placed where the lines intersect.
Try to put your subjects on the lines instead of in the middle
when you are shooting. With the horizontal lines it is best
to place your subject either in the top or bottom third of
the frame. |
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The images
below illustrate some of the principles of the rule of thirds. |
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Avoid putting your moving subject in the middle. This is viewed
as an uninteresting and boring image. |
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| In this picture the eye is drawn to the top-left part
of the picture with the subject placed on the intersecting
lines. |
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The subjects run along the vertical lines and the image
is balanced. |
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| When shooting landscapes you need to decide where to
place the horizon. If you wanted to emphasize the sky
because of a sunset or cloud formation you would place
it in the top two thirds of the picture. As an establishing
shot or end shot for your film a large expanse of blue
sky could be used for the titles or credits in your movie.
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This picture is split neatly into thirds. The sky occupies
the top third of the picture, the mountains the middle
third and the foreground the bottom third. |
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