February 5, 2026
Andrea Powell

54 shelter dogs have safely landed in New Jersey and are ready to find love. They are looking for a forever valentine that will love them unconditionally. 

In return, the lucky person will get the most loyal pal while experiencing a love like they have never known. 

Photo: Greater Good Charities

On February 4, dogs of all ages and sizes boarded this month’s Flight to Freedom, including several heartworm positive dogs. They left overcrowded shelters with hope of finding their special someone in New Jersey. 

Photo: Greater Good Charities

Staff and volunteers from the receiving shelters gave the dogs a warm welcome as they transported them back to the shelter. 

We know Gingerbread Man, Magnolia, and Ringo will soon steal someone’s heart and find a loving home. For now, they are settling in at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center.

Photo: Greater Good Charities

These life-saving flights are possible thanks to your continued support. Help us save more lives by donating towards next month’s flight. 

Photo: Greater Good Charities

Just $10 helps fly a shelter pet 250 miles towards safety. Check out more photos from the flight below. 

Andrea Powell

Andrea Powell is an animal enthusiast who resides in West Michigan. When not writing, she is exploring the great outdoors with her dogs and horses.

Read more articles by Andrea Powell.

The rule of thirds is one of the most well-known and widely used compositional techniques in photography. But when applied with intention, it becomes more than a guideline; it becomes a tool for purposeful storytelling and emotional impact.

Let’s explore how you can use the rule of thirds in photography to frame with purpose and elevate your shots from good to unforgettable.

What Is the Rule of Thirds in Photography?

The rule of thirds in photography is a simple compositional technique that divides your frame into nine equal parts using two horizontal and two vertical lines. The idea is to place your subject or key elements along these lines or at their intersections.

Why does this matter?
Because our eyes naturally gravitate toward these points, creating balance and tension that feels both natural and dynamic.

Why Framing with Purpose Matters

Pro Tip: Use the rule of thirds to guide the viewer’s eye, not just to follow a rule

When you frame with purpose, you’re making conscious decisions about:

• What the focal point is
• How you want the viewer to feel
• Where you want their attention to go

The rule of thirds in photography helps you compose scenes that are visually engaging while reinforcing the story you’re telling.

 

Applying the Rule of Thirds in Different Photography Styles

Here are ways you can apply the rule of thirds across genres:

1. Portraits

Instead of centering your subject, try placing their eyes along the top third line or aligning their face at an intersection point. This adds balance while allowing room for context or leading lines.

2. Landscapes

Place the horizon along the top or bottom third, depending on what you want to emphasize; sky or land. This instantly creates more depth and interest.

3. Street or Candid Photography

Use intersections to align people within busy scenes, letting the rest of the image support their story.

When to Break the Rule

Yes, you can break the rule of thirds. But when you do, do it with intention.

For example:

• Centering your subject can create symmetry and power.
• Off-balance framing might evoke tension or unease.

Pro Tip: Master the rule of thirds in photography first, then learn when it’s worth breaking

Knowing when to follow and when to bend the rule gives you more creative control and visual impact.

Practice Makes Purposeful

To start using the rule of thirds in photography with greater impact:

• Turn on your camera’s grid overlay
• Experiment with different focal points and placements
• Review your favorite photos and notice how they’re composed
• Crop intentionally during editing to reinforce visual flow

Framing isn’t just about what’s in the photo, it’s about why you’re placing it there.

Conclusion: Frame to Tell, Not Just to Show

The rule of thirds in photography is more than a formula, it’s a doorway into thoughtful, expressive composition. When you use it to frame with purpose, you invite your audience to see and feel what you saw in that moment.

So next time you raise your camera, pause. Ask yourself: Where does the story live in this frame?

Then place it with purpose.

Extended reading: 14 photography composition tips that aren’t the rule of thirds 

Australian photographer Ross Gudgeon has won the grand prize at Close-up Photographer of the Year 7. His Fractal Forest is an extraordinary underwater image he took inside a cauliflower soft coral in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia. The image earned Gudgeon the top award and a £2,500 prize, and it’s genuinely unlike anything else in this year’s competition.

A Perspective You’ve Never Seen Before

Fractal Forest was photographed from inside a soft coral, revealing a world that most of us will never witness. Ross Gudgeon explains more about the winning photo:

“Named for its cauliflower-like form, this soft coral is made up of countless small, rounded polyps that give it a puffy texture. I wanted to explore a perspective that isn’t possible with conventional lenses, and an underwater probe lens allowed me to do that. By carefully threading the lens through the coral’s branches without disturbing them, I was able to photograph the subject from the inside looking-out, offering a different view of a common marine organism.”

The result is a photo that feels almost abstract at first glance, yet is entirely real. And the jurz was so smitten that it also won the Underwater category, not just the overall prize. Oh, and in case it looks familiar, it’s the same photo that won the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Go, Ross!

More About Close-up Photographer of the Year 7

The seventh edition of the competition attracted over 12,000 entries from 63 countries. A jury of 22 expert photographers, naturalists, and editors spent more than 20 hours on Zoom calls to select the winners and the Top 100 images.

This year’s winning images span 11 categories: Animals, Insects, Butterflies & Dragonflies, Arachnids, Invertebrate Portrait, Underwater, Plants, Fungi & Slime Moulds, Intimate Landscape, Studio Art, and Young Close-up Photographer of the Year (for entrants aged 17 or under).

Speaking about the overall standard, CUPOTY co-founder Tracy Calder said:

“This was the toughest competition yet. The winning image embodies everything close-up photography can achieve – it shows us a perspective we’ve never seen before and reveals hidden beauty in a familiar subject. The judges were captivated.”

Category Winners

Like every year, the Close-up Photographer of the Year 7 brings us the selection of category winners as well. We’ll show you the best of the best below, and make sure to visit the contest website to explore the complete gallery and enjoy the tiny worlds that appear before your eyes.

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We kicked off 2026 with 33 adoptions in January. Each adopted cat had different needs and timelines on their journey to their new homes. From longtime senior foster cats like Ollie and Pip, to young fearful kittens like Sprite and Fresca, each cat got the space and care they needed to build confidence and be set up for success.

These incredible transformations are made possible by this community and people like you. Because of you, cats can take their time through their process of blossoming into their truest selves. Thank you for helping us create these January success stories. Here are just a few:

A cat named Mr. Puss — also known as Pancake Face — just turned a regular car ride into a main character moment in this beautiful Instagram video from @misterrpuss. In the clip, the Siberian Forest Cat posts up at the open car window as if he paid for the front-row seat. He is strapped into a harness, with paws braced on the door, his fluffy cheeks and whiskers catching the breeze, making the best of his straight-out-of-a-movie moment.

Cat can’t get enough of car ride in adorable video

The owner explains in the onscreen text, “Every time the window opens he becomes the main character,” while another line adds, “Wind in his face, ears flying, zero worries.” And that’s exactly what it looks like. In the video, Mr. Puss squints into the fresh air with the calmness of a saint — except he is a cat who is probably living his best life during the car ride.

The caption anticipates, “This Is Gonna Break His Heart When We Close It?,” and honestly, you can feel that looming tragedy through the screen. Mr. Puss looks completely locked in. He soaks up every sight and sound like it were the best part of his day.

Cats don’t always love car rides, but some do surprisingly well when they feel safe and in control. Besides, a cracked window can turn the whole experience into a sensory buffet with new smells and moving air. For a seemingly confident and curious cat like Mr. Puss, it is basically a portable window perch.

Viewers couldn’t handle the cuteness. One commenter declared, “I’d take him everywhere. This is so cute. No closing windows,” while another added, “Man if I saw him while driving past, it would make my day!”

A third user remarked on the “main character” claim, writing, “What do mean by he becomes? He is.” And for anyone who loved the cat’s serene face, you are not alone, as a fan wrote, “Look at that cutie patootie squishy face! I cannot!”