One to confound the rule of thirds

[ucci]

Saw this unusual cloud pattern over the nearby ranges. So, what would you suggest we could do with the rule of thirds for this one? And please don't be rude about where to put it!
Interested to read opinions on this.

[nimitzbenedicto]

Hi Ken,

Maybe this falls under the rule: "exception to the rules".

So, I guess your personal intent/choice takes over.

btw, maybe a caption can help the viewer feel what you want to express with your image.

HTH

[Digital]

Saw this unusual cloud pattern over the nearby ranges. So, what would you suggest we could do with the rule of thirds for this one? And please don't be rude about it.
Interested to read opinions on this.

This is a nice photograph. I am not sure how the rule of thirds fits into this pic since your subject matter fills the entire frame.

Bruce

[Wayland]

The "Rule of Thirds" is just a simplification of φ or the "Golden Ratio" which itself relates to the "Fibonacci Sequence".

These concepts have been used to "explain" an incredible number of things from the atomic to the cosmic... Or they might just be co-incidental.

Although it can be a useful "guide" at times, I think far too much importance is placed upon it by photographers.

I sit with Douglas Bader on this one, "Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools."

[ucci]

Thank you Bruce. Yes it does fill the frame, almost. There is room to jiggle it a little up and down with respect to the horizontal thirds matrix lines without losing too much. Was just interested to see which way people would go. And which edge would they choose for this; the tree line,the top edge of the ranges or the lower edge of the strip of cloud. Or just settle that it is in the too hard basket and an exception to the rule?

[ucci]

The "Rule of Thirds" is just a simplification of φ or the "Golden Ratio" which itself relates to the "Fibonacci Sequence".

These concepts have been used to "explain" an incredible number of things from the atomic to the cosmic... Or they might just be co-incidental.

Although it can be a useful "guide" at times, I think far too much importance is placed upon it by photographers.

I sit with Douglas Bader on this one, "Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools."

Great response Gary, for which you win two Mars Bars!

[SteveF]

Thank you Bruce. Yes it does fill the frame, almost. There is room to jiggle it a little up and down with respect to the horizontal thirds matrix lines without losing too much. Was just interested to see which way people would go. And which edge would they choose for this; the tree line,the top edge of the ranges or the lower edge of the strip of cloud. Or just settle that it is in the too hard basket and an exception to the rule?

In some respects it does obey the rule of thirds. The cloud formation being in the top third of the frame. It's a nice image and I rather do like it as it is.

[AB26]

Hi Ken,

Rule of thirds, what rule of thirds????? Is it not perhaps a "guideline" of thirds.
You got the clouds in the upper third, did you not?

I don't think you could have changed much on the composition. I like it!

[Manfred M]

I think that the reason that this works is not the rule of thirds per se, but rather that you have captured a non-traditional pattern of repeating lines; starting from the foreground (bottom to top)

1. Pattern of trees;
2. Clearing in forest (although it does not run right across the image);
3. Pattern of trees;
4. Mountain;
5. Sky;
6. Clouds; and
7. More sky

[dje]

Nice shot Ken, who follows rules ?

Was it cropped or stitched?

Dave

[JPS]

I like it Ken, just the way it is.

[Otavio]

I like it Ken, just the way it is.

Hello, Mr Ucci! I agree with John. I like the composition the way it is. Looks "balanced" to me. Nice shot!

Cheers!

[P2O2]

Hi,

I don't know why but all pictures I d/loaded from the site are darker then the ones presented in my Firefox web browser.

Ad rem. First the image seemed to me too bright and I could not find out what was the cause it made you to come out with the third rules question. Only when I got the image on my PC and make few corrections I did get it.

Firstly, I cropped the image to the upper boundary of the cloud layer. Then I brightened a little the lower forest layer (up to the mountains bottom) and then darkened the clouds to be seen more sinister. You may add tone mapping as well. The image started to live.

Secondly, I repeated all the procedures but without cropping. Now the bottom trees are lighted with downing sun, the mountains are clearer, the dark clouds are hanging over the mountain range and above all there is a deeper blue sky.

Viewing such processed snapshot you would not think of third rules at all. :-)

Regards

[ucci]

Thank you all for your interest and most helpful comments which gave been added to my reference base for future use.