Beginner Using grid overlay for composition?

ian-83

ian-83

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Ian
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Having a look through my camera menu I can select a grid display over the viewfinder or live view to aid composition.

I know the rule of thirds is only a guide but is this worth turning on when shooting landscape images?

Most annoying thing is my Nikon doesn't divide the image into 9 sections it divides it into 16 sections, all other manufacturers seem to have a rule of thirds style grid!
 
If nothing else they help keep horizons straight.
My canon doesn't have the option to turn a grid on, but I bought a new focus screen that has them etched in and I find it a great help with ensuring a straight image.
 
I have mine on all the time as I feel I can balance a scene in liveview after I've found a composition for whatever I'm looking at. In fairness Its no effort to turn off though if you feel its hindering you. I'm canon user so not sure how Nikon differs.
 
I find it useful for those pictures where a little careful composition is called for. Otherwise, it's easy enough to ignore.

This is a shot where the grid helped me make the most of what was there...

26497943692_7bf696c705_b.jpg
 
ecoleman said:
My canon doesn't have the option to turn a grid on
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I`d be surprised if either of your Cameras did not as both my 600d & 750D does and my Canon SX60 has it, I find it invaluable for Horizontal & Vertical alignment.
 
stryvya said:
I`d be surprised if either of your Cameras did not as both my 600d & 750D does and my Canon SX60 has it, I find it invaluable for Horizontal & Vertical alignment.
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The 6D does in live view, but not the viewfinder.
If I wanted to use live view all the time, I'd had bought a point and shoot.
 
In a word, yes, Ian! It (even a Nikon one) can help get horizons level (if your camera doesn't have a built in level) and it doesn't take much to figure out where the thirds lines would be. Personally, I usually treat the bit just inside the outer corners of the inner 4 rectangles as the thirds intersections when I'm trying to do a thirds shot.
 
Cheers for the replies, I tend to have it turned on, just a little miffed as the why Nikon have made it a 4x4 section grid and not 3x3 as rule of thirds should be!

Nod said:
In a word, yes, Ian! It (even a Nikon one) can help get horizons level (if your camera doesn't have a built in level) and it doesn't take much to figure out where the thirds lines would be. Personally, I usually treat the bit just inside the outer corners of the inner 4 rectangles as the thirds intersections when I'm trying to do a thirds shot.
Click to expand...

Cheers will give that a go next time I am using my camera was struggling a bit to line stuff up then noticing it's not a rule of thirds grid on Nikons
 
I prefer the Golden Mean / Ratio anyway :D

To me it looks more natural for landscapes.
 
I prefer the Golden Ratio, myself (mainly landscapes) but I don't sweat composition so long as it looks good.
 
ian-83 said:
Not sure what the Golden Ratio is will have a Google.
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It's very similar to the rule of thirds, just not exactly thirds.the intersecting lines are more towards the centre of the frame.

Red line is the golden ratio.
 

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ecoleman said:
It's very similar to the rule of thirds, just not exactly thirds.the intersecting lines are more towards the centre of the frame.

Red line is the golden ratio.
Click to expand...

Cheers for that. Had never heard of it before. Will try to remember it when i am next out. But then as they say rules are just a guide and are there to be broken
 
Very much so! My (lazy!) way around this is to shoot a bit loose then play with the crop box to get the best composition from the shot. Unless, of course, I've had the time to compose accurately at the shooting stage. Still usually need a little cropping at the printing stage - A series paper isn't 3:2!
 
And the viewfinder rarely shows the entire view the sensor receives. If you compose very tightly in the viewfinder you will end up with superfluous image around the edges.
 
I've started using a compositional technique known as the quadrant check - the grid is handy for that and reinforces in my mind to do it. Basically, I look for asymmetry in each quadrant, especially adjacent ones. If any pair of quadrants look as if they have similar content (including mirror image) then the shot is likely to be weaker than when there is a good degree of asymmetry throughout. This can be especially important in the sky, so I've found it worth doing.
 
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