Centered Subjects

[Mad Aussie]

I've noticed that most people avoid centering their subjects.

We've all heard the rules that tell us to put our subjects off center and if we can't decide on exactly where, then to apply the 'Rule of Thirds'

And, for most photos, this thinking does indeed make a photo more appealing to most people.

I also notice that most often people critique against a centered subject and I do wonder if it's because they really think it would be better off center, or whether they are just 'applying the rule' in their critiques as a gospel that all subjects should not be centered. I think perhaps both.

However, some photos do have centered subjects and are still very good photos. Centering subjects is allowed.

Rules, and I think most professional photographers agree, are not rules at all, but rather guidelines. And they are there to be used and ignored depending on your photo and experience.

Anyone have thoughts on this (agree or disagree) or anything further to add?

[GregL]

MA, I agree that it is a guideline rather than a rule (but what would I know )

I read once, if you have a charging lion coming straight at you, get the lion totally centres, take the shot, then run like hell. Works for me.

For me, the closer you are to the subject, the less the rule applies. I'll be interested to hear other comments.

[Mad Aussie]

For me, the closer you are to the subject, the less the rule applies. I'll be interested to hear other comments.

Yep, I can see how that would work in many cases!

[JAS_Photo]

It depends on the subject, I think. This is something in composition I am paying more attention to now. But I think a symetrical subject begs to be centered for the most impact. Take a look at z06-jim's HDR photos here. All but one are centered and they are extremely symetrical. All three pack a punch a and have jaw dropping wow factor.

1st Post:...New Camera/Lens & "HDR" Processing

[AntZ]

For me, the closer you are to the subject, the less the rule applies. I'll be interested to hear other comments.

I agree, I guess it depends on how full you want the subject in the frame

It depends on the subject, I think. This is something in composition I am paying more attention to now. But I think a symetrical subject begs to be centered for the most impact. Take a look at z06-jim's HDR photos here. All but one are centered and they are extremely symetrical. All three pack a punch a and have jaw dropping wow factor.

1st Post:...New Camera/Lens & "HDR" Processing

I think these support my filling of the frame theory. It would also depend on what you DON'T want to show in the pic. For your subject to not be centered you also need some "negative space" to fill the rest of the frame.

[BlueX]

I think the photographer needs to make a conscious choice as to why/how he or she composes the picture. There are no real hard based rules in photography, especially fine art photog. The artist needs to know the rules and how to use them to their advantage. The subject has a lot to do with things, but it ultimately comes down to what the photographer is trying to convey in their image.

[jjeling]

My turn! Yes, the rule of thirds is more of a guidline than a rule. However, it plays an important part in photography. If you never learn to understand the concept, then it is impossible to know whether or not your making the best out of each image. Some images work best when the rule of thirds is followed. Watch TV, or in newspaper ads, it is almost ALWAYS followed. This is because it works. However, when dealing with fine art photography, things get a little different. When breaking the rule, I think there must be obvious intent to center the subject. When you get close to a subject, instead of placing them off center, placing them in the dead center usually works, but this is in order to fill the whole frame with the subject and to isolate it from the surroundings. It is quite the opposite of the rule of thirds. Instead of drawing your eye to a subject from a crowd, you are eliminating the crowd, so your only focused on the subject. You are right when you say it is a guidline, but DO NOT ignore the power this guidline really has.
Fine art photography has no rules, instead it takes a collective knowledge from all sorts of creative approaches and blends them into one. To do this you must learn, understand, and apply the basics of photography and other artforms to your work. Once a you have a true understanding, then it makes 'breaking' the rules much easier.