Règle des tiers

The rule of thirds creates visual balance and directs viewer attention by positioning important subjects off-center. Placing a horizon on the lower third emphasizes the sky; placing it on the upper third emphasizes the foreground. Portrait photographers position eyes at the upper-third intersection points for natural, engaging framing. This guideline originates from classical painting composition and has become the most widely taught photography composition principle. While not absolute, it provides a reliable starting point for balanced images. Photo editors use crop tools to recompose images that were shot centered, shifting subjects to rule-of-thirds positions during post-processing.