DIVIDING FRAME INTO THIRDS
The rule of thirds is a well-known lego photography principle. Landscape photographers make the horizon, or point of interest, a “third” or intersection of horizontal or vertical thirds. This creates a pleasing distribution and visual interest in the shot. Digital cameras have an option grid that divides the scene into nine segments. However, mine does not. .
I suggested earlier this year that you use the rule of threes for minifig portraits. Lego photography trying to get the eyes, or at least the face, of a character on either the top left or right intersection of a picture’s thirds gives space.
If you are shooting a minifig shot that is not portrait, or in a landscape format, it is advisable to think about the frame in thirds. It is not a good Picture perfect photography idea to place the subject in the middle of the frame unless you want to achieve a specific look. Lego photography this reduces movement and allows for the possibility of what the character did or might have done before the photo was taken. Minifigs are meant to look real.
The four images above show a character that moves into the shot from the left, then out of the shot, then back in the middle, with a character in each of the thirds. These spaces can be used to convey intent and potential to your photos. The frame gives our minds the ability to see what is next or what has just happened.
If you place objects or other points of interest in each frame, it creates balance. This can be used to tell a story through anticipation and action and results, or reaction and resolution. Take a look at the thirds of your frame and see what you can do with them in your next shot.
EYE-LINES LEGO PHOTOGRAPHY
You can also add characters and minifigs to life a scene. However, if they don’t interact with one another realistically then you only have very small mannequins. The vectors or directions characters look in your frame are called eye-lines. We need to assume that these tiny plastic characters are thinking in their own minds if they don’t look directly into the camera.
One character can take a heroic pose, gazing into the distance beyond the lens and looking towards the future. But if there are more than one minifig, you will need to establish relationships or share reactions to events.
With the rounded faces of Lego photographers, it can be difficult to establish eye contact. It is possible for two characters to have a conversation while not looking at each other. However, if there are no other people in the frame or a believable expression on their faces, it can make the scene look strange.
