I always say there are no real rules in art, and even the ones that exist are sometimes meant to be broken.

But if there’s one rule in photography that I almost always treat as an actual rule, it’s the rule of thirds.

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Divide your frame into three equal parts horizontally and vertically, with two horizontal lines and two vertical lines. The four points where those lines meet are usually very natural places for our eyes to find the subject.

In dog photography, I’ll often place the dog’s head or eyes around one of those points, with the body sitting along one of the thirds. If the dog is looking to the right, I’ll usually leave more space on the right, if the dog is looking to the left, the opposite. It gives the photo direction and movement, and gives the background enough space to actually be part of the photo instead of just something behind the dog.

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One of the mistakes I see most often with photographers at the beginning is not leaving enough space around the dog. The dog fills almost the entire frame, sometimes a paw or the tail is already almost cut off, and then during editing they try to crop their way into a composition that simply isn’t there. Shoot a little wider. Give the background some respect and some space in the frame, you can always decide later that you want less of it.

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When I arrive at a location, I first look at it wide. Then I start looking for lines, angles, shapes, textures and little “pockets” where I can place a dog. Once the dog is there, I’ll move myself, move the owner, or change where the dog is looking a little to the right or left until the frame sits where I want it.

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Think the frame already looks good? Before you press the shutter, take another half step back. That little bit of extra space gives you room during editing to adjust the composition precisely, instead of discovering later that the frame you wanted simply isn’t there.

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Sometimes I break the rule of thirds myself. Of course I do. But I need to know why I’m breaking it when I take the photo. Centering a dog can work beautifully. Breaking symmetry can work. Leaving an unusual amount of negative space can work. The point is that it should be a decision.

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Shooting a frame that doesn’t work, then cropping it strangely and telling yourself it was intentional... it doesn’t work. We can see it.

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Before you press the shutter, ask yourself: why is the dog exactly there in my frame? If you don’t have an answer, you probably haven’t finished building the photo yet.