You've heard about the rule of thirds before. But have you heard about the rule of odds? When we need to process an even number of elements we tend to pair them up. This separates the whole image into pieces. But when the image is made up of uneven elements or an odd number of them, our brain can’t pair them all together. This article will teach you how to apply this composition rule, step by step. The Rule of Odds: How Many Elements Should You Use? Three is the most appealing option amongst the odd numbers. You can compare this image with three domino pieces with the one below. In the top photo, whenever our brain pairs up two of the domino pieces, we have the third one catching our attention. Adding more elements means losing part of the composition strength. Five and seven are still good numbers to compose with. But put more than 9 and our brain starts to treat them as a group. What this means is that the human brain counts elements of a photo as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, many, a lot! At this point we stop seeing the elements as individuals, so the law loses its power. But don't worry, there are other composition rules that help us handle groups. How to Arrange Elements in Your Composition You've decided how many odd elements you want to include in the composition. The next thing to do is to place them in the frame. For three elements, placing them in a line is a great option. You can also make a triangle shape, making the image more dynamic. With more than three elements, you can still start with a line and a triangle-like shape. Build the composition from there. In case you can’t place the elements in a line or triangle, move around and change your perspective. This happens a lot in street photography, for example. How to Use the Rule of Odds for Still Life Photography The easiest way to practise the rule of odds is by taking photos of things you have at home. Any small object can work: game pieces, fruit, cups, stones, pencils, etc. These are easier place and move around as you want. I recommend using simple backgrounds to avoid unwanted distractions. Lots of times I place my objects on a simple white canvas, a smooth table or a piece of fabric. The Rule of Odds for Nature Photography The rule of odds works best with flower photography. When you are framing your image, do it so that you capture an odd number of flowers in the frame. You might need to move around a little, change your perspective or the direction of shooting. Sometimes you can even move the flowers themselves a little bit. If you can't do it on the spot, remember that you can crop the photo in post-processing. With animal photography, it might be a bit more difficult to get the perfect number or placement. You might need to move around a bit more. Do it quietly so that your subjects don't run away. The Rule of Odds for Street Photography When you are capturing street images, it is good to keep the rule of odds in mind. Especially if you're shooting portraits. Before pressing the shutter release bottom, take a moment and check if you can build an image that includes an odd number of people, ideally 3. Be patient! You might need to wait a while for the elements to fit. You might have two people and need to wait until the third appears. Or you might have 4 people and then you'll need to wait until one leaves. Be patient and open-minded, don't miss a nice portrait just because you're waiting for one more person to come into the frame. Instead, try to get something from the background associated with your two main subjects. It can be a statue, another person or even an interesting doorway. The most important thing is not to lose a photo just because the conditions are not perfect. How to Apply the Rule of Odds With Even Numbers Sometimes you can still take advantage of the rule of odds even if you have an even number of subjects. With correct placement and composition, we can make the viewer consider some of the elements not as individuals but as groups. Look at the photos below. In the first one, you see each stone and none of them is associated more or less with any of the others. By placing one of the stones on top of another in the second image, the first thing the viewer perceives is a trio. Even after understanding what he is looking at, the viewer sees the stones as two individuals and a couple. What we're doing here is taking advantage of the brain's tendency to pair up elements by forcing it to group the elements the way we want it to. This trick is not limited just to still life or abstract photography. You can easily use it in photo sessions with people as well. Let's say you have a photo session with a group of four friends, have two of them interact. It can be something very noticeable like have one give a piggyback to another, but it can also mean putting an arm around the shoulder and leaning on each other. When Not to Use the Rule of Odds Composition rules are useful for creating interesting images. However, remember that they are not meant to be followed all the time. Use them when they are helping you to improve your images, but don't get too obsessed with any of them, including the rule of odds. There are cases where it doesn't make sense to have an odd number of elements. One example is in couple portraits. In that case adding a third person makes no sense at all and can give "odd" a different meaning. You can find other examples in other types of photography too. In street photography, you might need to compromise on the rules of composition in order to capture the moment. You should never sacrifice a photo just because it doesn't fall under "perfect" or "correct". What's more, there are objects that make more sense in couples, so adding a third element just to follow the rule of odds can make the photo lose its point. Conclusion The rule of odds is an easy guideline that will be useful to improve your composition skills. It consists of including an odd number of elements in your images. It works better with small numbers and especially with the number three. The strength of the composition decreases progressively as you increase the number of elements in the frame. But three elements can easily be arranged in lines or triangles. You can apply the rule of odds to all types of photography. However, remember that it is more a guideline than an actual rule. Use it only when it improves your images. Looking for some more great composition tips? Check our posts on using figure to ground or central composition!
Discover the power of the Rule of Odds in photography! Elevate your compositions and captivate viewers with dynamic, balanced, and visually engaging images.
The subject for the 52Frames weekly photo challenge was “rule of odds.” That means getting items in groups of 3, 5, etc. We found the perfect subject in the National Gallery of Art. Sometimes all you need to do is stay in one spot and something interesting might turn up. We stood a while in the Monet gallery when a father and his two daughters arrived. And, there were three Monet paintings, three seat cushions on the couch, three legs on the couch, and three people. I always look to see if my photo trends on the 52Frames website and I haven’t been disappointed since April when a fellow framer told me about it. This time the photo started to trend on the first evening that the album opened, and stayed on through the next early afternoon. I got a lot of compliments on this image, but it wasn’t enough to garner a spot on the top 52 this week. I was a bit disappointed because my photo was also critiqued and got two thumbs up. I’m not sure what the criteria is for trending, but I think it must have something to do with the number of “likes.” I’ve spent the last three years building up a base of friends from around the world. In the end it’s all about having a hobby and spending time doing something you enjoy. But it’s also nice to get noticed!
Take a look at these Rule of Odds photography ideas to spark your creativity to get out and capture your own images.
Photography composition tips for using the rule of odds to dramatically improve the strength of your portrait photography composition
The subject for the 52Frames weekly photo challenge was “rule of odds.” That means getting items in groups of 3, 5, etc. We found the perfect subject in the National Gallery of Art. Sometimes all you need to do is stay in one spot and something interesting might turn up. We stood a while in the Monet gallery when a father and his two daughters arrived. And, there were three Monet paintings, three seat cushions on the couch, three legs on the couch, and three people. I always look to see if my photo trends on the 52Frames website and I haven’t been disappointed since April when a fellow framer told me about it. This time the photo started to trend on the first evening that the album opened, and stayed on through the next early afternoon. I got a lot of compliments on this image, but it wasn’t enough to garner a spot on the top 52 this week. I was a bit disappointed because my photo was also critiqued and got two thumbs up. I’m not sure what the criteria is for trending, but I think it must have something to do with the number of “likes.” I’ve spent the last three years building up a base of friends from around the world. In the end it’s all about having a hobby and spending time doing something you enjoy. But it’s also nice to get noticed!
Learn how to take stunning drink photos with these 8 tips & tricks! From the rule of odds to backlighting and adding human elements...
If your quilts are looking a bit too boring and basic, use one of these techniques to flip the design around and create some quilt design interest.
Photography composition tips for using the rule of odds to dramatically improve the strength of your portrait photography composition
The subject for the 52Frames weekly photo challenge was “rule of odds.” That means getting items in groups of 3, 5, etc. We found the perfect subject in the National Gallery of Art. Sometimes all you need to do is stay in one spot and something interesting might turn up. We stood a while in the Monet gallery when a father and his two daughters arrived. And, there were three Monet paintings, three seat cushions on the couch, three legs on the couch, and three people. I always look to see if my photo trends on the 52Frames website and I haven’t been disappointed since April when a fellow framer told me about it. This time the photo started to trend on the first evening that the album opened, and stayed on through the next early afternoon. I got a lot of compliments on this image, but it wasn’t enough to garner a spot on the top 52 this week. I was a bit disappointed because my photo was also critiqued and got two thumbs up. I’m not sure what the criteria is for trending, but I think it must have something to do with the number of “likes.” I’ve spent the last three years building up a base of friends from around the world. In the end it’s all about having a hobby and spending time doing something you enjoy. But it’s also nice to get noticed!
The subject for the 52Frames weekly photo challenge was “rule of odds.” That means getting items in groups of 3, 5, etc. We found the perfect subject in the National Gallery of Art. Sometimes all you need to do is stay in one spot and something interesting might turn up. We stood a while in the Monet gallery when a father and his two daughters arrived. And, there were three Monet paintings, three seat cushions on the couch, three legs on the couch, and three people. I always look to see if my photo trends on the 52Frames website and I haven’t been disappointed since April when a fellow framer told me about it. This time the photo started to trend on the first evening that the album opened, and stayed on through the next early afternoon. I got a lot of compliments on this image, but it wasn’t enough to garner a spot on the top 52 this week. I was a bit disappointed because my photo was also critiqued and got two thumbs up. I’m not sure what the criteria is for trending, but I think it must have something to do with the number of “likes.” I’ve spent the last three years building up a base of friends from around the world. In the end it’s all about having a hobby and spending time doing something you enjoy. But it’s also nice to get noticed!
If someone calls about what you sell, call them back. Not in a week, right now.
Hello again! I have been going through my odds and ends file today , this is part 1 of my odds and end file post,which consist of various...
Parents play a significant part in their children's development since their lifestyle and approach to life influence their children's personalities. When kids became adults, they sought to live by their own rules, free of their parents' restraints, because they were often opposed to their parents' way of life. OP, 37, lived alone with her two
The rule of odds is an art composition tip far older than any camera. Come learn how it can improve your street photography from today and forever more.
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The arrrow is moving against the mainstream, colorful vector flat illustration
Hi Friends... Anna here from Simply Skilled in Second. Thanks so much for stopping by today! This is my last full week of summer and then the chaos school begins on September 2nd! :) Even though I am on summer break, I LOVE using my time to "THINK" about school and create new activities and lessons that I will use in my classroom with my students. One of the MOST IMPORTANT things that I work on with my students is creating and learning the rules of the classroom! This is something we review all of the time and even refer back to our Behavior Anchor Chart throughout the year. On the first day of school, I read the story called Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. It is one of my favorites to read to my class. After I read the story to them, we always brainstorm ideas of how our classroom can stay safe, fun, and happy for everyone in it. And so begins the creation of our Classroom Rules! I allow my students to create the rules and I ensure that I word them in a positive way. For example, we might write....Share with your friends... Work quietly.... Raise your hand to speak, etc. I never word them with negative words like... Don't talk during independent work....or Don't kick or hit your friends, etc. We also state our rules in a positive way! There is also on other aspect that I add to creating the classroom rules. I always tell the students that I have one rule for myself that I never.. EVER.. break. They are very curious to know what this rule is... and I make it a pretty big deal. I tell my students that I will NEVER.... EVER.. EVER yell at them. You should see the expressions on their face when I tell them that....and the silence int the room is deafening. The look of confusion with a mixture of pure happiness is really funny :) They always ask me a ton of questions about my rule and always ask me if I break my rule ever.. and they literally don't believe me when I tell them I have never broken my rule! I shared my ideas on what I do the first day of school with Teachers Pay Teachers and they featured me on the blog today!!! Check it out here.... I am always looking for a FUN way to have my students learn and write about the new classroom rules that we will be following throughout the year...and of course..it is going to be done using a flip flap book! This will be the first one my students do on the first day of school! I can't wait to show it to them...well..maybe I can wait a bit longer :) LOL Here is a tiny peek to what's in store for your little ones as they work through my School Rules Flip Flap Book! This summer I also made one of my Tab-Its for the School Rules as well... just to change it up a bit. I don't like doing the same thing year after year so I try to change it up every now and then. Here is my School Rules Tab-Its that fit in your Interactive Notebooks. So....if you are getting ready to go back to school or are just "THINKING" about school, take a peek at my School Rules Flip Flap Book and School Rules Tab-Its to add a little fun to your Rule Making Mojo :) Thanks for stopping by! Hugs.
In this middle or high school art lesson, students learn about good composition in art and design. It can be taught via distance learning or in the art classroom. It includes a Google Slide demonstration that teaches about The Rule of Thirds, The Rule of Odds, focal points, and using diagonal lines to create eye movement in the composition. Students take a digital photograph of a still-life arrangement of silverware using a cell phone that can be used as a reference photo for a still-life drawing. This is the first step of the Value Drawing Still Life Project. It can be taught alone as a single composition exercise or as the reference photo for a value study drawing. The complete lesson bundle with video demonstrations and slide shows for each step of the still-life drawing project can be found here.
Although left-handed people only represent roughly 10% of the population, they have a great presence when it comes to achievements.
Map showing England around 910 CE, showing among others the Viking territories under the Danelaw as well as the English kingdoms of Mercia (at this point in time ruled by Aethelred, Lord of the Mercians...
Summer has ended. The first few weeks are gone, and students are adjusting to the new normal. And if you've been in the classroom long, you know what that means. The voice level goes from almost non-existent to overload in a quick few days! You know that the beginning of school is all about setting
Advice is available everywhere you look, and some of it is very good. But a lot of those tips won’t work if you fail to follow this one essential rule.
Nowadays, there are a lot of rules about what's appropriate in an ad and what's not. Back in the day, almost everything was fair game.
If you’re looking for some Floss Rule Spelling Mats, you’re in the right place! We have more free spelling mats! Check out our Build & Write Digraph Spelling Mats, more Build & Write Digraph Mats, and Welded Sounds Spelling Mats. *The free download link is towards the END of this post. Click on the teal ... Read More about Floss Rule Spelling Mats
A concerned mother recently found herself at odds with her daughter’s school over a new phone policy that led to unexpected consequences. The school had introduced a rule allowing them to confiscate students’ phones for four working days if they were caught using them in restricted areas. Neither parents nor students were informed of this policy change. The mother’s 17-year-old daughter, Clem, had her phone confiscated while checking texts in a bathroom. As a result, she was unable to use her digital bus ticket and had to walk home alone in the dark. When the mother learned what happened, she
Are you looking for wrestling slogans, chants, sayings & phrases to support your favorite wrestler or Team? Do you want to express your passion and love for Wrestling? Feel free to use these slogans wherever you want and also share them with your friends. Unique Wrestling Slogans No Fear, No Fun. Wrestler’s attitude Shut up […]
