Now, consider what you want to do with the rest of the frame. Do you want another tree on the other thirdsy line? Probably not. That would look too symmetrical and mechanically thirded.

Perhaps you may wish to leave the rest of the frame free of other strong compositional elements. That probably won’t work very well, either, unless you’re shooting an incredibly interesting tree.

To solve this vexing dilemma, we must digress from our discussion of ROT for a moment, and consider the concept of balance. We want the final image to appear, metaphorically speaking, equally weighted from side to side, without being mechanically symmetrical.

That lone tree on the thirdsy line is just too heavy. We need some weight for the other side of the frame. Maybe we have a nice, convenient boulder, and, perhaps a puffy cloud (clouds have metaphorical weight, even if their physical weight is negligible). Then we’d wind up with something like this:

This might make an interesting photograph, but it depends on how interesting these compositional elements are, as well as about a zillion other variables, such as the light and the details throughout the frame.

Another tool we have which might enable us to create a more balanced composition is the framing element, which we define as a strong compositional line near the edge of the image. For our example, let’s reduce the boulder and cloud, but add another tree; this tree is placed with the trunk on the edge of the image. Now we have something like this:

OK, I know this looks pretty stupid in my drawing, but it could work in a real photograph. Trust me. Framing elements can do than balance an otherwise lopsided composition. They set the scene. They draw the viewers’ attention in to the middle of the image. They establish the context in which then rest of the image is placed.

Two warnings, though: first, make sure your framing elements are in sharp focus. They are usually close to the camera, while the principle subject may be much farther away. So, stop down, and be careful.

Second, a possible framing element might be too dark or too light. If the frame is in the shadow while the main subject is in bright light, the dark frame sets a somber tone for the whole image. Maybe you want this effect, maybe not; but you need to be aware of it. If the frame is in the bright sun, while the main subject is in the shade, you’ve really got problems. The brightness will distract the viewers’ attention, rather than focusing it on the important part of the image. Use the light meter on different regions of your possible photo as an aid to visualizing the final effect. There’s nothing worse than a fuzzy or overexposed framing element.