A central and symmetrical composition matters more than you think

Saturday 21 September 2024, 14:07 by Nando Harmsen | 2,717 views | 1 comment

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

With the rule of thirds in mind, putting a subject in the centre is immediately seen as wrong. Yet a central and symmetrical composition is often the best choice.

Create a central or symmetrical composition, and many people will quickly tell you off. It’s wrong, because you have to place the subject one third from the edge. I call this forced use of the rule of thirds.

The rule of thirds simply does not work here. The tree is the subject, and that is where the attention goes. There is empty space on the left, just hanging around. It adds nothing to the composition.
The rule of thirds can work well, but only in situations where it is suitable. In other situations, it quickly creates empty space that adds nothing. It is space in the image included simply to satisfy the one-third placement.

I believe that thoughtless use of the rule of thirds, and the ‘obligation’ that the majority of photographers attach to it, is the reason people so often talk about breaking that rule. That is why you hear the claim that the only good composition is one that does not follow the rule of thirds.

Placing the tree in the centre gives the photo symmetry. It immediately gets all the attention. The entire left side, which is irrelevant, can be removed. That creates a better composition. The subject is shown to its full effect.
It is important to understand the difference between a central and a symmetrical composition. A central composition has the subject literally in the centre of the photo. There is plenty of space on all sides of the subject.

A symmetrical composition places the subject and additional image elements on or beside an imaginary vertical line. This line runs exactly through the centre of the image, from top to bottom. So this is different from a central composition, although the two are often confused.

All the important image elements are placed on or directly beside an imaginary central vertical axis. This is a symmetrical composition.
Is the subject very important in the image, such as in a portrait, architecture or large objects? Then you want attention to fall on it straight away. You achieve this by placing the object in the centre of the image. Either with a central or a symmetrical composition.

Don’t do that? Do you force the rule of thirds? Then it quickly feels as though the photo was taken from the side. Part of the image adds nothing to the photo. It is empty space.

Sanne in a symmetrical composition. All the lines lead towards her, so your eye goes straight to Sanne.
By doing this, you can’t avoid it any more. You force all attention onto the subject. That does not mean you should always blindly place everything in the centre. There are also situations where the one-third rule does work.

Look at famous paintings and you’ll see that central placement is used very often. Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring is a good example. What about the Mona Lisa or Da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

The same goes for Rembrandt’s Night Watch, Munch’s The Scream, Delacroix’s The Swing, and Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. All these works use a symmetrical or central composition.

It is clear what this photo is about: the building. It is placed completely centrally in the image, with all the elements in the frame leading you towards this building.
But is the subject part of a larger whole, where the surroundings play a role in the story the photo tells? Then an asymmetrical placement, such as the rule of thirds, can be a good choice.

Do bear in mind that there needs to be a connection between the subject at one third and the rest, often through lines, to prevent them from being separate elements with no connection.

The rorbu (red fishermen’s cabins) and the mountain behind it are in a symmetrical composition. It is immediately clear what the photo is about. If the rorbu are seen as the subject, it is even a central composition.
Do you take portraits, photograph architecture, or capture large objects that are important and need to attract attention straight away? Then consider using a central or symmetrical composition. It will often give the photo much more impact.

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