Composition #3 - Using Symmetry

Theory
The rule of thirds is useful for many subjects, but not all.

If you see a symmetrical subject, it's often better to compoase so that the line of symmetry is right in the middle of the picture.

Take care to make sure the symmetrical subject really is in the middle - slightly off-centre and it will look odd.

Examples

[Transporter Bridge - I stood right in the middle of the roadway (waiting for the bridge to com back to our side) and got everything balanced]

[Southwark Roof - taken from the middle of the aisle, also showing lead-in lines pointing to the stained glass window at the end]

[Victorian Hangar - carefully composed, with all lines leading towards the window at the end of the room]

[Picture Window - sometimes you get lucky with two planes of symmetry - here the horizontal and vertical framing was very carefully controlled to be equal on opposite sides, even though the main content (the reflections) are not perfectly symmetrical]