Multiple Horizon Lines and the Rule of Thirds
It is recommended that you view COMPOSITION #1 and #2 first to really understand the Rule of Thirds.
When you are constructing your image in the viewfinder of your camera, you can layer your image with additional horizon lines - or horizontal elements that act like horizon lines. You saw in the prior blog: Composition #2 - Rule of Thirds, how using 1/3 divisions in your image strengthens your composition. That is because 1/3 is a deeply satisfying spatial division to the human brain/psyche.
MULTIPLE HORIZON LINES CHALLENGE: How many horizon lines can you count in each image? HINT: There are 4 in the first image.
Why? Multiple horizon lines can give complexity and depth to your image. You can even use BOTH the top 1/3 line AND the bottom 1/3 line to structure an image. For instance, in a landscape the top 1/3 horizontal line could be where you place the earth/sky line, and the bottom 1/3 might be on a water/land division line, or a forest/field division line or any line created by two different colours, textures or patterns.
How you can manage that in your viewfinder is to move yourself up and down until those divisions are more or less on the horizontal 1/3 lines. As you move higher or lower - stepping up on something if you need to or squatting on your heels - the distance between the elements will visually expand or compress. TRY IT!
A picture or photograph is a flat, two-dimensional illusion of a scene that is actually three-dimensional. When you take a photograph you can manipulate the illusion of distance and space in several ways. Multiple horizon lines are just one way to do it. Stay tuned for Dynamic Diagonals, Framing, Vanishing Point, and Foreground objects that also help create the illusion of space.
ACTION: LEARN TO SEE MORE: Watch the video again:
- look for horizon lines close together – earth/ sky, earth/ water.
- look for other horizontal elements that divide the image: texture differences such as sand/grass or sea/ sand or dark cloud/ light sky or electrical wires. Any others?
- colour differences such as - yellow of dry grass/ dark gray of sandy beach.
- Stop the video at several different images so you can count the “horizon lines”.
- Notice when you can find those divisions more easily.
- Look out your window for some “horizon lines” or partial horizon lines – actual, colour or texture – that horizontally divide the scene out your window .
WELL DONE!! Do you see how many more divisions that you notice?