The Golden Ratio in Photography Composition

[von Corax]

Digital Camera World has an interesting article on the use of the Golden Ratio vs the Rule of Thirds in photographic composition. From the article:

Probably the best-known compositional approach is the rule of thirds: dividing the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically. The components can then be organized around these divisions, with key focal points placed at the intersection of horizontal and vertical lines.

The golden ratio – also known as the golden mean, golden section, or divine proportion – is considered to be beautiful and harmonious. The golden ratio originally comes from the ancient Greek mathematicians – it's closely related to the square root of pi and was originally discovered when the Greeks began examining five-sided figures like the pentagon.

[J. Wilhelm]

Digital Camera World has an interesting article on the use of the Golden Ratio vs the Rule of Thirds in photographic composition. From the article:

Probably the best-known compositional approach is the rule of thirds: dividing the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically. The components can then be organized around these divisions, with key focal points placed at the intersection of horizontal and vertical lines.

The golden ratio – also known as the golden mean, golden section, or divine proportion – is considered to be beautiful and harmonious. The golden ratio originally comes from the ancient Greek mathematicians – it's closely related to the square root of pi and was originally discovered when the Greeks began examining five-sided figures like the pentagon.

There's another rule from the Renaissance Era, which is useful for portraits. It's the Triangle Rule (from memory, I'm not searching actual definitions, you might want to look for an art website): Arrange  the subject of your portrait within a triangle with the base of the triangle along the lower edge of the rectangle. This is not a perspective technique, that's different, but it does give the illusion of perspective to the subject of your painting.