Golden section or trichotomy? Which composition is better?

When we talk about composition, the golden section and the trisection are always indispensable. This is the most familiar composition method for students who have just come into contact with photography, and it is also one of the easiest ways to guide viewers.

What is the golden ratio composition? Mathematically, we define 0.6 18 as the golden ratio. As shown below, we divide a straight line into two parts, C and B. When c/b is equal to 0.6 18, then point Y is the golden section of C and B. Compared with other composition proportions, such a picture proportion will be more harmonious and more in line with people's aesthetic habits.

In the picture below, bees, as one of the main parts of the picture, are on the golden section.

We can deduce Fibonacci spiral from the golden section. When we want to coordinate images in some way, the golden ratio is a common way to balance images, which can keep the subject as the center of gravity of the picture.

At the photographer's In Jon spackman's works, there are a lot of such rules of subject placement, which make the picture look more story-telling.

In fact, in real life, the golden ratio is everywhere. The picture below is a street view. The photographer arranged the characters at 1/3 on the left side of the picture, which not only made the whole picture more calm, but also increased the extensibility and scene sense of the picture.

From this, the three-point method can be derived, which is always one of the indispensable composition methods when taking pictures. Although it is not necessarily the only composition method or the best composition method, it is simple and can really help beginners to establish picture aesthetics more conveniently.

Trigonometry is simple. Finally, there are only four lines, which divide the image into nine squares and the points where the four lines intersect.

When we place the picture elements, we can put the main elements at the intersection and take the lines as the dividing lines.

For example, if we shoot a flower in the green leaves, we can put the flower near the third point.

For example, when we take landscape photography, we can put the skyline near the three-point line, whether it is 1/3 or 2/3 of the picture, depending on your preference.

If there is a single subject in our picture, it is very appropriate to place the single subject above the three-point boundary.

This is the basic theory of trichotomy. Putting the subject on the intersection or dividing line near the golden section can highlight the subject, at the same time, it can retain the appropriate sense of space and give the viewer the most basic visual comfort.

How to choose the trisection or golden ratio depends on our shooting content. For minimalist photography with few picture elements, trisection may be the most convenient and simple.

If the picture is narrative-oriented, and you want to attract the viewer's attention to the main body through multiple elements, and let the guiding elements play a role in the narrative of the picture, it is suitable to use the golden ratio composition here. Through the concept of golden ratio, the viewer's line of sight will move along the guide line and finally stay at the end of the spiral, which is the main element we should focus on to tell a complete story.

Although rules are always effective, sticking to them is not always the best. If we rigidly put the composition rules in our hearts on the screen every time we shoot, it will become an invisible shackle that binds our thinking. You should know that composition is not a constraint afterwards, but a way of looking at the picture that has been formed in your mind before shooting. By creating a picture guide in this way, the audience can enter the picture more quickly and conveniently, and they can also understand the photographer's way of looking at the world and the angle of the content they want to express through composition.