Threes As A Compositional Element
I am once again contemplating the “third element.” This topic is becoming increasingly interesting, both from a photographic-creative standpoint and from a personal, psychological context.
Today, I want to write about the significance of three as a compositional-creative design element. Before doing so, I’ll note that I think the phrase “In Search of the Third Element” would make an excellent theme and title for a book. I hope to pursue this at a later time.
As a compositional element, threes are utilized in several different ways. First, there is the “rule of thirds.” This rule involves dividing a frame into a 3×3 grid, creating nine equal parts. The idea is to place the most important elements of your scene along these lines or at their intersections. This technique helps create balance and interest. For example, placing a subject off-center can make the image more dynamic and engaging.
Another technique is to incorporate foreground, middleground, and background into the composition. Incorporating different layers into the composition adds depth and dimension. While definitions aren’t required, the foreground is the part of the image closest to the camera, the middleground is in between, and the background is the furthest away. By including elements in all three areas, a more immersive and three-dimensional feel is created.
In my work, I use the “rule of thirds” frequently and consciously. Incorporating this rule into a composition is easily achieved through basic cropping of the image.
Cropping is a topic of debate in itself. Some people believe the composition should be finalized in the viewfinder before the image is captured. Henri Cartier-Bresson, for example, never cropped his images. Others believe cropping in post-production is a legitimate tool. I tend to agree with the second proposition: that cropping is a legitimate tool and part of the creative process. However, I’ll add a caveat. The image must first be composed—visualized—in the viewfinder and later refined through cropping. Perhaps it’s more appropriate to say that I incorporate both philosophies into my work. Whether to crop or not to crop is purely a personal decision, one that every photographer must make based on their creative intent.
The second aforementioned use of threes (foreground, middleground, and background) is possibly more compositionally powerful than the “rule of thirds,” but also more complicated to achieve if you’re working as a street photographer doing portraits. Architectural and landscape photographers, on the other hand, have time to set up the shot, ensuring they include not only the “rule of thirds” but also foreground, middleground, and background. By design, in the studio, this can be achieved quite easily because you have complete control over the situation. In the street, you are at the mercy of many elements that cannot be controlled.
The street portraits I have made that include foreground, middleground, and background have mostly been accidental, and there are very few of them. While I am distinctly aware of the concept, I, as a general rule, only casually seek out images that include all three elements. I probably should pay more attention to this, but I don’t.
The element of the three that I do consciously attempt to control is background. Before taking a portrait photo, I always quickly scan the background to ensure there is no clutter that conflicts with the primary image. If clutter exists, a simple solution is to change the camera angle, if possible. Background clutter can also be eliminated, or at least made less conflicting, through depth of field. A shallow depth of field blurs the background, thus rendering it less dominant. And, of course, this can also be achieved during the editing or developing stage.
The power of three in photography extends beyond mere technical application—it reflects something fundamental about how we perceive and organize visual information. Whether consciously applied or intuitively discovered, these compositional elements continue to shape how I see and capture the world around me.
________________________
Taken from My Diary entry: 24-08-30
Leave a Reply