View Full Version : rule of thirds grid on my view finder?
flatlander
11-08-2009, 04:00 PM
Hey i would like to know if there is a way of getting a rule of thirds grid on my view finder for my hvx? Even if you know of a company might make a sticker of the grid?ok thanks
pmark23
11-08-2009, 06:32 PM
I made my own with a sheet of laser-printer transparency. I made the guides in Illustrator. Besides thirds, I made 6ths, crosshair, and several golden-section guides from the same sheet. Took maybe 20 minutes and cost under $1.
Steve Eisen
11-08-2009, 06:45 PM
Greece pencil
Cassius
11-08-2009, 10:22 PM
Is it really that important to have a visual representation of something that doesn't always apply to a scene? I would think it would make composing shots more difficult, since it could distract you from something that looks great without following that suggestion.
Sneakle
11-09-2009, 04:11 PM
Is it really that important to have a visual representation of something that doesn't always apply to a scene? I would think it would make composing shots more difficult, since it could distract you from something that looks great without following that suggestion.
ditto
mdslammer
11-09-2009, 05:07 PM
Greece pencil
You mean "grease" pencil...:grin:
Postmaster
11-09-2009, 05:15 PM
I made my own with a sheet of laser-printer transparency. I made the guides in Illustrator. Besides thirds, I made 6ths, crosshair, and several golden-section guides from the same sheet. Took maybe 20 minutes and cost under $1.
Duh! Yeah, this would be the way to go.
Canīt believe I did not think of that.
I ended up using a thin permanent marker and a ruler to paint a "rule of thirds grid" on my camera monitor. I got distracted and messed it up.
Now I have a permanent rule of thirds vertical and an odd rule of fourths horizontal.
Yeah, :beer:
Frank
pmark23
11-09-2009, 06:20 PM
Is it really that important to have a visual representation of something that doesn't always apply to a scene? I would think it would make composing shots more difficult, since it could distract you from something that looks great without following that suggestion.
I was thinking this as well (and the guides I printed have very thin lines as a result), but it turns out to be a big help because every time you look at the screen you're forced to think about composition when in the heat of a shoot your mind may be elsewhere.
Also by having reference lines, you notice geometric coincidences and think "oh, if I zoom in a bit I bet I get that tree on a third, and the top of the hill on another third". That may be a bit OCDish, but it does help to get great shots in less time.
Another advantage is that when panning or zooming you can hit thirds (or sixths or whatever) accurately.
You're right though in that you can't be a slave to the guides, and sometimes the best composition doesn't follow any rules.