Are you cropping a photo to use in your newsletter, website, or advertisement? Here is an easy rule to keep in mind.

The Rule of Thirds is an off-center way to crop (or take) a photo along a 3x3 grid that divides your photo into 9 equal parts. This helps to keep the subject of your photo clear to the viewer.

When you crop your photo, identify the most important element or subject of your photo (example: a cow in a field), then imagine a 3×3 grid (the cropping tool will often have the grid in place), and crop so that your subject (the cow) is at one or two of the 4 intersection points along that grid. This works horizontally and vertically.