July 4, 2018 -
One of first things you run across when you explore photographic composition is something called the “Rule of Thirds”. Simply put, it states that compelling photographic composition does not automatically place the main subject of a photograph at the center of the image, but rather off-center.
Imagine a photograph split into nine equal sections with a grid that resembles a tic-tac-toe board. The Rule of Thirds states that the main subject of the photo should be placed at or near one of the four locations where the horizontal lines of the grid intersect the vertical lines.
Besides photography, another interest of mine is making espresso, and the drinks that are derived from it. There exists a “Rule of Thirds” that applies there too. To make the “ideal” espresso one should be aware of this “property”. A "proper" 2 oz. espresso will take about 24 – 27 seconds to extract through the grounds under pressure. The first-, middle- and last-thirds of this extraction will taste different. One can “tune” the flavor of the espresso by only using part of the extraction to suit one’s taste.