Your Television Could Be Ruining Your Photograph’s Composition (The Rule Of Thirds)

A guest article by Jeff Colburn

Yes, you heard right, your television could be ruining your photographs. It has nothing to do with electromagnetic radiation emissions or the “Couch Potato Syndrome” and everything to do with the composition you are exposed to whenever you watch television.

More often than not, the main subject of a scene is in the center of the screen. This is a very static form of composition. “If it’s so static,” you ask, “Then why do I watch hours of it every day?” Simple. It’s a moving medium and the average image is on the screen for just a few seconds. You don’t have enough time to get bored, or even analyze, a given scene before it’s replaced with another one.

If you want to test this out, rent an old classic black and white movie. Each scene was on the screen longer. Composition was vital because there was no color to distract the viewer. Look at how Alfred Hitchcock, Cecil B. DeMille or Orson Welles constructed a scene. Freeze some of the frames and see what they’ve done. The composition and lighting are amazing. In contrast, watch your favorite television show in black and white, with the sound turned off. See if it still holds your interest for the entire program. You may be surprised.

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