Competition Definition

Themes are in-house monthly competitions open to members only.

Comments for this Competition

This month, we’re diving into one of photography’s simplest yet most powerful compositional tools—the Rule of Odds. There’s something about having an odd number of subjects in a photo that just feels better to the eye. Three flowers in a vase, five birds on a wire, seven stepping stones across a pond—they create a natural rhythm and a sense of movement that even numbers often don’t.
Try spotting odd-numbered groupings in the world around you or gently arrange them yourself. You can work with any subject or genre: landscapes, street scenes, still life, portraits—it’s all fair game. The goal is to train your eye to notice how numbers change the balance of an image, and to see how odd numbers can add harmony and energy without being perfectly symmetrical.

Inspiration & Learning Resources Copy and paste the link into a new tab or window.

1. What is the rule of odds, and why does it work?
https://photzy.com/what-is-the-rule-of-odds-and-why-does-it-work/
A great overview of what the rule is and how to use it effectively.

2. The rule of odds in photography – An easy trick for better compositions
https://digital-photography-school.com/the-rule-of-odds-in-photography-an-easy-trick-for-better-compositions/ Illustrating the use of the “rule of odds” in a number of different photography genres.

3. What is the Significance of the Rule of Odds in Photography?
https://www.tatakis.com/post/the-rule-of-odds-in-photography
A more comprehensive exploration of this interesting “rule”.