Lesson Info
94. Rule of Odds
Summary (Generated from Transcript)
The topic of this lesson is the Rule of Odds in photography composition.
Q&A:
What is the Rule of Odds in photography?
The Rule of Odds suggests that images are better when there is an odd number of subjects in the frame.
Why does the instructor disagree with the Rule of Odds?
The instructor believes that any number of subjects can make a good photograph and that there are other factors that make a photograph compelling.
What are some examples of how the Rule of Odds can be applied?
The instructor mentions that a solitary subject or three subjects in a frame can create strong photographs.
What are the benefits of having two subjects in a photograph?
Having two subjects can create a relationship between them and add interest to the image.
Can four subjects make a good photograph?
Yes, having four subjects can create symmetry and is still a reasonable number for a small group.
Does the number of subjects in a photograph matter?
The instructor argues that the number of subjects does not necessarily determine the quality of the photograph, as there are other factors that contribute to a good shot.
Lessons
Class Introduction
23:32 2Photographic Characteristics
06:46 3Camera Types
03:03 4Viewing System
22:09 5Lens System
24:38 6Shutter System
12:56 7Shutter Speed Basics
10:16 8Shutter Speed Effects
31:57Camera & Lens Stabilization
11:06 10Quiz: Shutter Speeds
07:55 11Camera Settings Overview
16:12 12Drive Mode & Buffer
04:24 13Camera Settings - Details
10:21 14Sensor Size: Basics
18:26 15Sensor Sizes: Compared
24:52 16The Sensor - Pixels
22:49 17Sensor Size - ISO
26:59 18Focal Length
11:36 19Angle of View
31:29 20Practicing Angle of View
04:59 21Quiz: Focal Length
08:15 22Fisheye Lens
12:32 23Tilt & Shift Lens
20:37 24Subject Zone
13:16 25Lens Speed
09:03 26Aperture
08:25 27Depth of Field (DOF)
21:46 28Quiz: Apertures
08:22 29Lens Quality
07:06 30Light Meter Basics
09:04 31Histogram
11:48 32Quiz: Histogram
09:07 33Dynamic Range
07:25 34Exposure Modes
35:15 35Sunny 16 Rule
04:31 36Exposure Bracketing
08:08 37Exposure Values
20:01 38Quiz: Exposure
20:44 39Focusing Basics
13:08 40Auto Focus (AF)
24:39 41Focus Points
17:18 42Focus Tracking
19:26 43Focusing Q&A
06:40 44Manual Focus
07:14 45Digital Focus Assistance
07:35 46Shutter Speeds & Depth of Field (DOF)
05:18 47Quiz: Depth of Field
15:54 48DOF Preview & Focusing Screens
04:55 49Lens Sharpness
11:08 50Camera Movement
11:29 51Advanced Techniques
15:15 52Quiz: Hyperfocal Distance
07:14 53Auto Focus Calibration
05:15 54Focus Stacking
07:58 55Quiz: Focus Problems
18:54 56Camera Accessories
32:41 57Lens Accessories
29:24 58Lens Adaptors & Cleaning
13:14 59Macro
13:02 60Flash & Lighting
04:47 61Tripods
14:13 62Cases
06:07 63Being a Photographer
11:29 64Natural Light: Direct Sunlight
28:37 65Natural Light: Indirect Sunlight
15:57 66Natural Light: Mixed
04:20 67Twilight: Sunrise & Sunset Light
22:21 68Cloud & Color Pop: Sunrise & Sunset Light
06:40 69Silhouette & Starburst: Sunrise & Sunset Light
07:28 70Golden Hour: Sunrise & Sunset Light
07:52 71Quiz: Lighting
05:42 72Light Management
10:46 73Flash Fundamentals
12:06 74Speedlights
04:12 75Built-In & Add-On Flash
10:47 76Off-Camera Flash
25:48 77Off-Camera Flash For Portraits
15:36 78Advanced Flash Techniques
08:22 79Editing Assessments & Goals
08:57 80Editing Set-Up
06:59 81Importing Images
03:59 82Organizing Your Images
32:41 83Culling Images
13:57 84Categories of Development
30:59 85Adjusting Exposure
08:03 86Remove Distractions
04:02 87Cropping Your Images
09:53 88Composition Basics
26:36 89Point of View
28:56 90Angle of View
14:35 91Subject Placement
23:22 92Framing Your Shot
07:27 93Foreground & Background & Scale
03:51 94Rule of Odds
05:00 95Bad Composition
07:31 96Multi-Shot Techniques
19:08 97Pixel Shift, Time Lapse, Selective Cloning & Noise Reduction
12:24 98Human Vision vs The Camera
23:32 99Visual Perception
10:43 100Quiz: Visual Balance
14:05 101Visual Drama
16:45 102Elements of Design
09:24 103Texture & Negative Space
03:57 104Black & White & Color
10:33 105The Photographic Process
09:08 106Working the Shot
25:29 107What Makes a Great Photograph?
07:01Lesson Info
Rule of Odds
Alright, here's a new one for my classes that I haven't talked about before, it's one that has been talked about because when I do talk about composition I do my research and I go out and see what other people say about composition, and this is one that I don't agree with, but I will tell you about it anyway. It's just good to be aware of, I think there are some things to talk about and think about when it comes down to the Rule of Odds, and this states that images are just better when you have an odd number of subjects in there. Let's explore how this may or may not work. If you have a solitary subject, I think that can make for a really strong photograph because it's very clear what your subject is, what's going on, and you get a good, nice close-up view of that subject. So for people, for animals, this works out really well. The next step is if you can't have one then you have three. Little secret note here, three is my favorite number, I love three, three is a great number. It's a ...
nice, small grouping that you can easily understand. It's not too big of group, you're not wondering how many, you just immediately pick it up and it's a small little group that we can all identify with, so I think images with three subjects are very strong, and so as far as the Rule of Odds goes, yes, I completely agree that three subjects in a frame can be very interesting and there's a lot of fun that you can have with three subjects in a frame, cuz there's a lot of ways that you can line them up and play with them. We saw, I think this one in one of the quizzes before, and so three subjects, ya, that's a nice playful number that can do a lot of things with it. Maybe my favorite shot with three subjects in it right there, alright, three's just a great way, there's a lot of things that you can do with it. I'm all for three, I love three, that's good, I really do. What about this? I took this early in the morning, and I like this shot, and I think a lot of people I've showed it to have really liked that shot, it's kinda a cute shot, and perfect as a test example here, a scientific test example. Now I did not have to Photoshop this. One of the cubs got up and left. So tell me, is this a better photograph than the one with four in it? If the Rule of Odds was true, three is better than four, then it should be better, but that big empty spot just seems to me a whole lot better when it's filled with four there, and so I don't believe any particular number is better than another number, but there are things that are different about versus two. When you have two you'll have a relationship potentially between the two. People will be lookin at one, lookin at the other. Are these friendly, are they not friendly together? Mom and cub, there's a nice relationship that's goin on. Have you ever seen penguins hold hands before? (class laughs) Alright, so there's a nice thing about two. Would this be better with a third one? I'm sorry, I think three would be a crowd in this couple here. (class laughs) I think two works perfectly good. I think two is a great number to have in a shot, so there's lots of examples where having two works really well in a shot, so that's why I don't believe in the Rule of Odds. I think one's good, I think two's good, I think three's good, I think four can be good. There's lots of different examples, but there is a different type of thing that's goin on when you have one to two. Are you bein fair to the two? Can you have four and have it be good? Absolutely, it's still a reasonable number. With four you can have symmetry, so there's that you can work with, so that's a good element that you can add in to having four. It's still a small enough group that you can easily keep track of what's going on. Now what about five? You can have five as well. Five gets to be a little bit more, six gets to be a bit more. At a certain point you start losing count, but one, two, three, four, five, and then it starts just becoming a larger group depending on how long you're studying that particular subject there, and then it just starts becoming a pattern unto itself, so each number has its' own little benefit, but I'm sorry, I'm not buying into the three is better than four, or three is better than two. They each have their own good thing, and I think you'll find that whatever works just works for other reasons, there's other things going on that's compelling that photograph to be better. You can shoot that tight shot and get that single animal. You can have two shots and have that nice relationship, or you can start having a very easily used small group or a larger group, or as large of group as you wanna have and it really doesn't matter in some cases. It's gonna be a good shot if it's a good shot for other reasons.
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Ratings and Reviews
a Creativelive Student
Love love all John Greengo classes! Wish to have had him decades ago with this info, but no internet then!! John is the greatest photography teacher I have seen out there, and I watch a lot of Creative Live classes and folks on YouTube too. John is so detailed and there are a ton of ah ha moments for me and I know lots of others. I think I own 4 John Greengo classes so far and want to add this one and Travel Photography!! I just drop everything to watch John on Creative Live. I wish sometime soon he would teach a Lightroom class and his knowledge on photography post editing.!!! That would probably take a LOT OF TIME but I know John would explain it soooooo good, like he does all his Photography classes!! Thank you Creative Live for having such a wonderful instructor with John Greengo!! Make more classes John, for just love them and soak it up! There is soooo much to learn and sometimes just so overwhelming. Is there anyway you might do a Motivation class!!?? Like do this button for this day, and try this technique for a week, or post this subject for this week, etc. Motivation and inspiration, and playing around with what you teach, needed so much and would be so fun.!! Just saying??? Awaiting gadgets class now, while waiting for lunch break to be over. All the filters and gadgets, oh my. Thank you thank you for all you teach John, You are truly a wonderful wonderful instructor and I would highly recommend folks listening and buying your classes.
Eve
I don't think that adjectives like beautiful, fantastic or excellent can describe the course and classes with John Greengo well enough. I've just bought my first camera and I am a total amateur but I fell in love with photography while watching the classes with John. It is fun, clear, understandable, entertaining, informative and and and. He is not only a fabulous photographer but a great teacher as well. Easy to follow, clear explanations and fantastic visuals. The only disadvantage I can list here that he is sooooo good that keeps me from going out to shoot as I am just glued to the screen. :-) Don't miss it and well worth the money invested! Thank you John!
JUAN SOL
Dear John, thanks for this outstanding classes. You are not only a great photographer and instructor, but your classes are pleasant, they are not boring, with a good sense of humor, they go straight to the point and have a good time listening to you. Please, keep teaching what you like most, and I will continue to look for your classes. And thanks for using a plain English, that it's important for people who has another language as native language. Thanks again, Juan