Source: 10 Myths About the Rule of Thirds. Photograph by Annie Leibovitz.

If what the the author of this post is trying to say is that there’s more to composition that blindly following the rule of thirds then I’d agree with him. I too have tended to over-rely on this rule. It’s a simple concept to follow and I believe can improve your photographs if you are just starting. The problem is, as the author suggests, that you for ever afterwards tend to see the world through rule of thirds gridlines and never get beyond that.

The difficulty I have with this article though is that the author attempts to replace the rule of thirds with yet another rule: dynamic symmetry, which seems infinitely more complex than the rule of thirds itself.

I would have thought that the message should have been “don’t rely on rules – they’re only suggestions” not “Ditch the rule of thirds and use DYNAMIC SYMMETRY”.

I very much agree with one of the comments: “Interesting article. One of the things i notice most is, if you draw enough lines everything is bound to line up with something.”

There is, indeed, more to composition that following rules. I’m still trying to understand what it is.

My name is Tavis Leaf Glover, and I’m an artist just like you, trying to create art that I can be proud of and share with the world. Though, something really hindered me in the beginning… the Rule of Thirds.

I want to shed some light on the Rule of Thirds Myths we’ve all been forcefully spoon fed during our creative infancy, which continues to linger as our compositions mature.

Perhaps we can change the future of art together if we help other artists abandon the rule of thirds and introduce them to the invaluable design techniques demonstrated throughout this article. I need your help because I can’t do it alone!

Like many other artists, I was brainwashed into thinking that the rule of thirds is an acceptable method of composing an image. I guess that depends on the standard of art you’d like to produce. Art at the Master Level, like Da Vinci, Bouguereau, Degas, Rubens, or art like a Sunday painter whose goal is to hang their painting in the local antique store… not the prestigious gallery or museum.