Real-World Examples of 3 Examples of Rule of Thirds in Photography

Let’s begin with three clear, concrete examples of 3 examples of rule of thirds in photography that you can picture instantly. These are the kinds of scenes you probably already shoot, which makes them perfect practice.

Example 1: The Off-Center Portrait

Imagine you’re photographing a friend standing by a window. Instead of planting them dead center, you shift them slightly so their eyes line up with the top horizontal third of the frame and their face sits on one of the vertical third lines.

Now the viewer’s eye naturally goes straight to those eyes, because our brains love that intersection point. The empty space on the other side—the negative space—gives the image room to breathe. This is one of the best examples of the rule of thirds in portrait photography, and you’ll see it constantly in magazine covers, LinkedIn headshots, and lifestyle campaigns.

How to try it:

• Turn on the grid overlay in your camera or phone settings.
• Ask your subject to stand slightly to the left or right.
• Move until their eyes sit along the top third line, near a grid intersection.

You’ve just created a textbook example of the rule of thirds, and it instantly feels more intentional than a centered snapshot.

Example 2: The Horizon in a Landscape

You’re at the beach at sunset. The sky is dramatic, the water is glowing, and the temptation is to plop the horizon right in the middle. Instead, shift your framing so the horizon falls on either the top or bottom third line.

If the sky is the star of the show—epic clouds, fiery colors—place the horizon along the lower third. If the foreground is more interesting—rocky shoreline, reflections in wet sand—drop the sky to the upper third and give the foreground more space.

This example of the rule of thirds is probably the most taught in beginner classes and online courses from universities and art schools. Even resources from photography programs at places like MIT OpenCourseWare often illustrate landscapes this way when introducing composition.

Example 3: The Street Scene With a Moving Subject

Picture a cyclist riding through a city street. Instead of centering them, you place them on the left vertical third line, moving into the empty space on the right. Now the viewer’s eye follows the direction of motion into that open area.

This is one of the strongest examples of 3 examples of rule of thirds in photography because it shows how composition can suggest movement and story. The cyclist has somewhere to “go” inside the frame. If you reversed it—putting the cyclist on the right, facing out of the frame—the shot would feel cramped and awkward.

In street photography, sports, or kids running around the backyard, this simple rule of thirds placement gives energy and direction to your images.

More Everyday Examples of Rule of Thirds in Photography

Those three classic setups are just the starting point. Let’s expand into more real examples that match how people actually shoot in 2024–2025.

Food and Flat Lays: Top-Down Rule of Thirds

You’re photographing a brunch table for Instagram. Plates, coffee mugs, maybe a hand reaching in for a bite. Instead of dropping the main dish right in the middle, you slide it so the plate sits on a lower-right intersection, while a coffee cup anchors the upper-left third.

Now your flat lay feels balanced but not stiff. The viewer’s eye zigzags through the frame, from plate to cup to supporting details. This is a modern, social-media-friendly example of the rule of thirds that you’ll see all over food blogs and lifestyle feeds.

To practice:

• Place your main item—say, a stack of pancakes—on a third line.
• Use smaller props (berries, utensils, a napkin) to lead the eye along the other thirds.

Travel and Architecture: Landmarks Off-Center

Tourists love to center famous buildings. Photographers rarely do. When you photograph a landmark—say, the Eiffel Tower or the Golden Gate Bridge—try placing it on the right third, leaving open sky or leading lines (roads, railings, shorelines) on the left.

This creates one of the best examples of the rule of thirds for storytelling. The landmark is still the star, but the extra space shows context: people walking, traffic moving, or the environment around the structure.

In 2024–2025, with so much travel content competing for attention, this off-center approach helps your images stand out in a sea of centered snapshots.

Environmental Portraits: People in Their Space

An environmental portrait shows a person and their surroundings—an artist in a studio, a barista in a café, a mechanic in a garage.

A classic example of the rule of thirds here: place the person on one vertical third, and let the rest of the frame show their environment. Their face still falls near a grid intersection, but the background tells the story.

For instance, an artist on the left third, with canvases and paint-splattered walls filling the other two-thirds, gives viewers a sense of who they are and what they do. This is one of those real examples that you’ll see in editorial photography, documentary work, and even university storytelling pages, like campus profiles or alumni features.

Nature and Wildlife: Eyes on the Intersection

Wildlife photographers often use the rule of thirds by placing an animal’s eye on one of the intersection points, with the body extending along a third line.

Imagine a bird perched on a branch. Its eye sits on the upper-right intersection, the branch runs along the lower third, and the background is soft and uncluttered. This example of the rule of thirds guides attention straight to the eye, which is where we instinctively look first in any living subject.

If the animal is looking to the left, leave more open space on that side. This echoes our earlier moving-subject example and creates a sense of direction and anticipation.

Minimalist Shots: Subject in a Corner Third

Minimalist photography has been trending for years and still plays nicely with modern platforms and clean visual branding. A single tree in a snowy field, a lone streetlamp against a colorful wall, a person walking across a huge, empty plaza.

In these cases, the rule of thirds works beautifully when you push the subject into one of the corner intersections, leaving large areas of negative space. This creates a quiet, contemplative mood and is a subtle but powerful example of the rule of thirds in photography.

How Phones and Social Media Use the Rule of Thirds in 2024–2025

You don’t have to guess where those thirds are anymore—most modern devices and apps will show you.

• Smartphone cameras (iOS, Android, and major brands) include grid overlays based on the rule of thirds in their settings.
• Many social media apps favor off-center compositions in their discovery feeds, because these images tend to look more “designed” and scroll-stopping.
• Even free online photography courses from universities and nonprofits, such as those linked through the Library of Congress and various extension programs, still teach the rule of thirds as a foundation.

So when you’re looking for examples of 3 examples of rule of thirds in photography in your own life, open your camera roll. You’ll probably notice that your favorite shots already use it, even if you didn’t know the name.

When to Bend or Break the Rule of Thirds

Here’s the honest part: the rule of thirds is a guideline, not a law. Some of the most striking photos ignore it completely and use symmetry, central framing, or diagonal compositions instead.

But the photographers who break it most effectively usually understand it first. They can look at a scene, imagine where the thirds are, and then decide, “Actually, this one needs to be centered.” That choice is what separates a thoughtful composition from a random snap.

A practical way to grow:

• Take one scene and shoot three versions.
  • One using a classic rule of thirds placement.
  • One centered.
  • One experimenting with a different angle or crop.
• Compare them later and notice how the mood and focus change.

By doing this over and over, you’ll build your own mental library of real examples of the rule of thirds—and of moments when ignoring it works better.

Putting It All Together: Seeing Thirds Everywhere

Let’s quickly recap the key examples of 3 examples of rule of thirds in photography we’ve talked through, and how they show up in daily life:

• Off-center portraits, with eyes on the upper third.
• Landscapes with horizons on the top or bottom third.
• Moving subjects (like cyclists or runners) placed on a side third, moving into space.
• Food and flat lays arranged so the main dish sits on a third line.
• Landmarks framed off-center to show more context.
• Environmental portraits where the person occupies one third and their world fills the rest.
• Wildlife and nature shots with the subject’s eye on an intersection.
• Minimalist scenes where a tiny subject sits in a corner third, surrounded by negative space.

Each of these is a practical, visual example of the rule of thirds in photography. The more you look for them—in movies, ads, photojournalism, and museum collections—the more automatic this way of seeing becomes.

If you’re curious to explore further, many educational institutions and nonprofits offer free resources on visual literacy and composition. For instance, the Smithsonian Learning Lab and Harvard University’s online learning portal periodically share materials that touch on art, design, and visual storytelling.

The real goal isn’t to memorize a rule. It’s to train your eye so that when you raise your camera, you instinctively nudge the frame a little left, a little right, a bit up or down—until everything just clicks.

FAQ: Examples of Rule of Thirds in Photography

Q: Can you give a quick example of the rule of thirds for beginners?
Yes. Photograph a friend standing against a simple background. Turn on your camera’s grid and place their eyes on the top horizontal third, slightly left or right of center. That single change is a clear, beginner-friendly example of the rule of thirds.

Q: Are there specific types of photos where the best examples of rule of thirds appear?
You’ll see strong examples in portraits, landscapes, street photography, wildlife, and food photography. Anywhere you need to guide the viewer’s eye—especially in busy scenes—the rule of thirds can help you organize the frame.

Q: Do professional photographers still use the rule of thirds in 2024–2025, or is it outdated?
Professional photographers still use it constantly. It shows up in editorial work, advertising, and even scientific and educational imagery from organizations and universities. It’s not trendy so much as foundational—like learning scales before improvising in music.

Q: How can I find more real examples of rule of thirds to study?
Look at photo essays from reputable news outlets, museum collections, and educational archives. Many institutions, such as the Library of Congress or university art departments, share high-resolution images online. Study where subjects, horizons, and key details fall in the frame.

Q: Is it wrong if my photo doesn’t follow the rule of thirds?
Not at all. Some scenes work better with symmetry or central framing. The rule of thirds is a tool, not a test you have to pass. Use it when it helps your story, and feel free to ignore it when another composition feels stronger.

By practicing with these examples of 3 examples of rule of thirds in photography—and noticing how often they appear in the images you admire—you’ll gradually move from guessing at composition to shaping it with confidence.