Easily Apply the Rule of Thirds to Your Smartphone Photography

Are you annoyed by constantly having to imagine the rule of thirds on your smartphone screen when taking a photo? We’ve all been there: trying to guess where the intersecting lines are while holding our phones awkwardly.

Well, there is an easy solution to it! Let’s dive into how you can use camera grid lines to create a perfect rule-of-thirds overlay directly on your screen, and look at some practical examples to instantly level up your mobile photos.

What is the rule of thirds again?

First of all, a quick reminder about the rule of thirds.

Imagine slicing your frame into 3 equally sized parts. First horizontally. And now again vertically. You end up with 9 equally sized frames, all separated by 4 lines: 2 horizontal, and 2 vertical.

Now, focus on the places where those 4 lines intersect. Those 4 points are where our eyes are naturally drawn in a photo. So, to make your composition more engaging, try placing your subject at those exact points.

You can go much deeper into this photography rule, but let’s keep it simple for now!

Do you need a dedicated “rule of thirds ” app?

A lot of people ask me whether they need to download a specific rule-of-thirds app (like Rule of Thirds Pro or other paid tools) to get this overlay.

The short answer? Absolutely not. Both iOS and Android devices have this feature built natively into their default camera apps. You don’t need to waste storage space or money on third-party applications just to get a basic grid. Let me show you how to activate it.

How to turn on the rule of thirds grid on iPhone

If you are wondering how to use the rule of thirds on an iPhone, it takes less than ten seconds to set up. Once you turn it on, the grid will stay there every time you open your camera.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on Camera.
3. Under the “Composition” section, toggle the Grid switch to ON.

That’s it! You now have a permanent iPhone rule-of-thirds grid ready to go.

How to turn on the rule of thirds grid on Android

I’m currently shooting a lot on Android devices, and turning the grid on is just as simple.

1. Open your default Camera app.
2. Click the Settings icon (usually a cogwheel in the upper-right or upper-left corner).
3. Look for Assistive Grid or Grid Lines and turn it on.
4. Select the 3×3 option if prompted.

Tadaam, you now have the overlay on your screen!

Smartphone photography rule of thirds examples

Now that you have your grid set up, let’s look at how to actually use it in the field. Sometimes your subject is just too big to fit entirely within a single intersection of your grid. In these cases, you can use the lines themselves, either horizontally or vertically.

Take a look at my photo of the Eiffel Tower and the statue. The statue and the Eiffel Tower are both placed on their own vertical thirds. By placing the heavy, dominant subject (the tower) on the right third and the secondary subject (the statue) on the left third, the image feels incredibly balanced without feeling static or boring.

Applying the rule of thirds to a face or selfie

When you are taking a portrait, or even just framing a rule-of-thirds selfie, you want to get close and fill your frame almost entirely with the face.

But where do you put the rule-of-thirds face focus? The eyes.

Placing your subject’s eyes perfectly along the upper horizontal line (and ideally placing one eye at an intersection) instantly draws the viewer’s attention to them. It creates a much more flattering and engaging portrait than simply placing a face dead center in the frame. 

Using the rule of thirds for landscapes and street photography

If you are photographing a landscape, try positioning the horizon on one of the horizontal lines rather than in the middle. Put the horizon on the upper line if the ground or foreground is the most important element. Put it on the lower line if you want to emphasize a dramatic, beautiful sky.

For street photography, the grid is a lifesaver. You can use it to frame your background perfectly (like aligning a building edge with a vertical line) and then patiently wait for your subject to walk right into one of the intersecting points.

When should you break the rule?

As with everything in photography, rules are meant to be broken. Once you understand the rule of thirds, you’ll know when to ignore it.

If you are shooting something with perfect symmetry, like an empty road leading into the distance, a grand architectural hallway, or a reflection in a puddle, put that subject dead center! Center compositions are incredibly powerful when symmetry is the star of the show.