The Golden Section In Photography

The golden ratio is a ratio of approximately 1 618 to 1.

The golden section in photography. The result 809 pixels is the length of the long side of your rectangle. In photography the golden ratio can be used to identify the main subject while still leading the viewer s eye through the entire image. How to use the golden ratio in photography thankfully you don t have to understand the math behind the golden ratio in order to apply it to your photography you just have to become familiar with that spiral.

Artists have used this ratio for centuries to create works of art from paintings to architecture. By doing this you get a pattern like this. Each of these uses the golden ratio in a different way to create art images and architecture that is pleasing to the human eye.

The golden section in photographic practice is applied as the rule of thirds. The point on which you want to direct the viewer s attention is to be aligned with the intersection points of the grid or at least closer to the lines. The golden section is simply a compositional rule that dictates that a well composed image can be achieved by dividing the frame by 1 6 several times.

This ratio is close to the 35mm ratio so you don t need to change the size of the photo in most cases. Image courtesy of nam nam. The goldennsectionnsearchhlaww is also called the golden rule.

Multiply that by 1 618. The golden ratio is a composition guide. Therefore a rectangle that is 500 pixels by 809 pixels is a golden rectangle.

The composition will be more pleasing and balanced for the human eye. It obeys the golden ratio. So the first golden rule is the rule of thirds or golden ratio.