We are asked to research the Golden Mean (also known as the Golden Ratio, Golden Section), as well as the Rule of Thirds.

Golden Ratio / Fibonacci Sequence

Yes, well I don’t do maths. So, I will not try to pretend I completely understand the Golden Ratio at all. There are many helpful websites that go into this in great detail, such as this one with overview, diagrams, illustrations etc.:

https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/golden-ratio.html

Simply put- we find the golden ratio when we divide a line into two parts so that the long part divided by the short part is also equal to the whole length divided by the long part.

Phi 1:1.618

Several YouTube videos explain this in more detail, here’s one of the clearest (for mathphobes like me … duh).

Golden Ratio Theory | Basics for Beginners

By Tip Tut

Rule of Thirds

I understand the rule of thirds and have used this device many times with regards formulating a composition for a landscape or other types of artwork, as well as photography. It is possible, though, to fall into the trap of only using this trick in your work, thereby making everything formulaic. However, I am always aware of this rule when I start any work, which can be annoying.