As you asked
zenjenny
The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. As follows.
As you’re taking an image you would have done this in your mind through your phone display that you use to frame your shot.
With this grid in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ now identifies four important parts of the image that you should consider placing points of interest in as you frame your image.
Not only this – but it also gives you four ‘lines’ that are also useful positions for elements in your photo.
The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally.
Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot – using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it.
View attachment 165028
View attachment 165029
Copied wholesale from the
https://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds/
The images are not mine.
I'll also add that Human eyes tend to track from left to right when looking at an image, so say a figure walking towards the right side of a shot may seem more pleasing than one on the left side moving out of frame.
There really is a ton of online information about the Rule of Thirds Jen, not only photograph but its application in Art as well.
If anyone is sufficiently interested, go seek and hopefully pick up some tips.
There is also a lot of info about breaking the Rule of Thirds. Its actually made me realise what an awful photo I posted the other day in the B/W challenge, the top of the chimney is far to near the edge of the frame, horrible
As ever this is all subjective and it works in video too.
Finally someone who totally disregards the rule of thirds and in actual fact its his trademark. Two minutes of the very brilliant Wes Anderson.