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🎯 Composition Made Simple: The Rule of Thirds for Beginners

Host: Rick McEvoy 🇬🇧 | Duration: ⏱️ 23 minutes

⚡ What Is This?

The Rule of Thirds is a cheat code 🎮 that instantly makes your photos more interesting. Divide your frame into 9 equal parts (like noughts and crosses), place your subject on the lines or intersection points, and watch your photos transform.

Works for cameras 📷 and phones 📱. No jargon. Just results.

🎓 The 7 Essential Tips

📍 1. Position Your Subject

Put eyes on intersection points for portraits. Near the line is fine.

🏔️ 2. Landscape Horizons

Interesting sky? → Horizon on lower third
Interesting foreground? → Horizon on upper third

🏃 3. Action & Movement

Give moving subjects space to move into the frame.

⚠️ 4. Avoid These Mistakes

• Don't obsess over pixel-perfect alignment
• Don't forget about your background
• Don't use it mindlessly

🔓 5. When to Break the Rule

Symmetry, patterns, and tight portraits often work better centered.

🔗 6. Combine with Other Techniques

Use with leading lines, negative space, and framing.

🏛️ 7. Architectural Photography

Position buildings on vertical lines. Keep verticals vertical.

📋 Quick Recap

The Grid: 2 horizontal + 2 vertical lines = 9 equal parts
The Power Points: 4 intersection points where lines cross
The Default: Use it for everything until you know when to break it

🎬 Your Challenge

1️⃣ Turn on your grid (Settings → Camera → Grid)
2️⃣ Take 3 photos using the Rule of Thirds
3️⃣ Take the same 3 photos centered
4️⃣ Compare and see the difference

📱 Phone Users

iPhone: Settings → Camera → Grid ✅
Android: Camera app → ⚙️ → Grid Lines ✅

Pro Tip: Tap to focus on intersection points = perfect focus + composition! 🎯

🔗 More Episodes

📻 220: The Photographer's Eye - See Great Photos Before You Take Them
📻 218: Train Your Eye - Master Photography Right Where You Are
📻 217: The Art of Light - From Harsh to Heavenly

🚀 Next Week: Episode 222

The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 20 Essential Tips

Rick's going through 220+ episodes to pull out the absolute best. Can't wait! 🤩

🔗 Connect with Rick

🌐 RickMcEvoyPhotography.com
▶️ YouTube: Search "Rick McEvoy"
🎓 Course: How to Become a Real Estate Photographer
📧 Weekly emails | 💬 Text Rick from the podcast feed

🥪 Episode Sponsor

Cheese and pickle sandwich 🥪 + Coke Zero 🥤

Consumed in Rick's homemade, acousticall

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com

Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Send us a text

Ever wonder why some photographers spot amazing shots everywhere while you're standing in the same place seeing nothing? 👀 They're not lucky—they've trained their photographer's eye, and you can too!

Host Rick McEvoy reveals the exact skills that separate snapshots from photographs. Learn to see light, composition, and decisive moments BEFORE you press the shutter. No expensive gear required! ✨

💥 What You'll Master in This Episode:

* Light First, Always 🌅💡 Why great photographers look at the light before the subject—this single shift changes everything!

* Layers & Depth 🏔️📐 Spot foreground, middle ground, and background elements that transform flat photos into three-dimensional images.

* Patterns, Lines & Shapes 🔲🔄 Train your eye to see geometric compositions hiding in plain sight—broken patterns and leading lines that work!

* The Decisive Moment ⏱️✨ Anticipate and capture that perfect split-second when everything comes together.

* Contrasts & Relationships 🔄⚖️ Big vs small, old vs new—spot visual stories that make photos memorable.

* Ruthless Simplification ✂️🎨 Know what to EXCLUDE from your photos—less is always more!

🎯 Your Assignment This Week
Walk for 30 minutes WITHOUT your camera. Point at everything you'd photograph and explain why. Next day, take the same walk WITH your camera. This exercise is pure magic! 🪄

📱 Works with phone cameras too! The photographer's eye has nothing to do with gear. 🤳

📚 Related Resources & Next Steps

➡️ Next Episode (Fortnightly): Episode 221: Composition Made Simple: The Rule of Thirds for Beginners 📐

⬅️ Last Episode: Episode 219: Why Your Photos Look Flat & How to Fix Them ✨

🎯 Foundation Skills: Episode 218: Train Your Eye: Master Photography Right Where You Are 🔍

🏠 Ready to Go Pro? Check out Rick's splendid How to Become a Real Estate Photographer course at RickMcEvoyPhotography.com/courses

Find Rick Online: RickMcEvoyPhotography.com 📸

#photographyexplained #photographerseye #photographytips #learnphotography #compositiontips #decisivemoment #rickmcevoy

This episode was brought to you by a cheese and pickle sandwich and a Coke Zero 🥪🥤

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com

Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Send us a text

Ever wondered why your photos don't look as good as the scene you remember? 🤔 The answer isn't a new camera or expensive software—it's mastering seven simple editing adjustments that transform flat photos into stunning images. ✨

Host Rick McEvoy reveals the exact editing workflow professional photographers use on EVERY photo. Learn how to make your images pop without spending hours editing or a fortune on gear. 💥

These aren't complex techniques—they're straightforward adjustments that offer massive returns in quality. Start with the best photo you can capture, then take it to the next level! 🎯

💥 What You'll Master in This Episode:

• Crop & Straighten First 🖼️✂️ Refine composition, fix crooked horizons, and verticalize buildings for that clean, professional look.
• White Balance Magic ⚪🌈 Use the eyedropper tool on neutral greys to instantly correct color casts—game-changing for portraits, interiors, and landscapes.
• Exposure Control ☀️💡 Go beyond the basic exposure slider to master highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks for perfect brightness.
• Contrast for Punch 💥 Add depth and drama by making blacks blacker and whites whiter—without clipping your histogram.
• Dimension with Highlights & Shadows 🌓 Recover detail in bright skies and dark areas for images that feel three-dimensional.
• Vibrance Over Saturation 🌈🎨 Make colors pop naturally without the cartoonish look—plus the secret of Lightroom's Color Mixer.
• Sharpening Secrets 🔍 The finishing touch that makes photos crisp without introducing noise or artifacts.

📚 Related Resources & Next Steps

➡️ Next Episode (Fortnightly): Episode 220: The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It. 👁️

⬅️ Last Episode: Episode 218: Train Your Eye: Master Photography Right Where You Are. 🎒

📊 Deep Dive on Histograms: Episode 114: What Is A Histogram And How Can It Help Us When We Shoot? & Episode 164: Understanding Histograms In Photography.

🎨 Is Editing Cheating? Episode 92: Is Editing Photos Cheating? Well Is It? Well What Do You Think?

🛠️ Essential Gear: Episode 216: Essential Accessories for Every Photographer (Without Breaking the Bank).

🏠 Ready to Go Pro? Check out Rick's splendid "How to Become a Real Estate Photographer" course

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses

Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com

Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick