This isn’t the place, and I’m not the person to be giving an art lesson, but it is a proven fact that artists have been employing the rule of thirds for thousands of years to make their images more visually interesting.

The rule is very basic:  imagine your viewfinder divided into thirds both vertically and horizontally; now when you focus on objects of interest, make sure they fall along the lines. Seems simple right? Start comparing the professional work in some of your favorite magazines with the average snapshot. Normally, people think they are doing a great job when they get their subject centered right in the middle of the frame, but that can be one of the mistakes that leads to just another ordinary photo.

In this example (shutterbuggers is going to make this girl famous!) you will see that the subject is all in the first third. The lack of balance draws our eyes to the right – making us wonder, what is she looking at? Also, notice that the horizon line (the beach/water line) is also aligned in the bottom third. An expert might call this a well-composed photo. I just call it a picture that people react positively to – and that emotional reaction is what will sell your images!

See more discussion of this and other simple rules that can make a HUGE difference in your pictures – coming soon “The Shutterbuggers Photography MiniCourse!”