Rule of thirds using Fireworks
What is the Rule of Thirds?
This is a method of composition that photographers use in order to frame images and place parts of an image in relation to another. It is basically a grid a bit like a noughts and crosses grid. It is based on the “golden section” or the “golden ratio”. Instead of placing the subject in the centre of the image, this rule suggests that it is better to place it on the four crossing points of the lines. I’m not sure how it works, but images composed using this method do seem to look better. I’m not even going to try and explain how it works but simply show how to crop images using this rule with Fireworks.
What you will need
Fireworks of course as a basic working knowledge of its use. A .jpg photo of your choice, but preferably one with a distinct subject. A new folder called “thirds” where to put all your work. I’m sure it would also work with other graphic editors, but I have only tried it with Fireworks.
Method
So there’s my new folder on the desktop
First of all choose your photo and create a new folder called “thirds”. Place your photo in there. Here is the original photo that I’m going to be using.
File>New 324 x 200 pixels. So why those pixel dimensions? It’s the golden ratio again. It’s 1:1.62. Well, that’s rounded up. It’s actually a bit like pi in that you can go on ad infinitum. It’s actually called phi. But as I said, I’m not really going to go into that, just how to do it.
Turn on slice view and then use the slice tool to make 9 equal slices. All you have to do is to create one and then copy it. Select all the slices and then resize the whole lot cover the whole canvas exactly.
First you have to select all the slices
Here are the 9 slices resized to fill the whole canvas
File>Import and navigate to your photo. Click in the top left of the window to import the photo. If your photo is very large then you will need to decrease the magnification in order to resize it.
And the scale tool if you don’t know it
Before you resize it, select the scale tool. Then resize the image to be a bit larger than the canvas. This is so that you can move it around as though the canvas is a window framing part of the photo. Then zoom back to 100%.
Keep to the scale tool activated and then move the image until the focal point falls onto one of the crossing points. You could also place a vertical or horizontal element in the image on one of the guide lines.
Here I am using the baby’s nose as the focal point.
Turn off the slice guide view and have a look in preview mode. Set optimize to “jpeg better quality”. Adjust the settings until the desired result is produced. You could resize the image a little bit and reposition it until you have a composition that is pleasing.
The final stage is File>Export. Save it in the folder you created, just so you know where everything is. What do you think?
And a second one with the right eye as the focal point
