Sometimes it is the simplest things that reveal the greatest secrets of aesthetics to us. The golden ratio is one of these secrets: a mathematical ratio of approximately 1:1.618 that has been regarded as a symbol of beauty, harmony and perfection for thousands of years.
From the pyramids in Egypt to Renaissance architecture and modern design classics, we find traces of the golden ratio everywhere. But what's special is that you carry this principle with you every day. It is hidden in your own body, visible for example in the proportions of your hand.
The hand as the key to understanding
Take a closer look at your fingers: each one consists of three joints. And, amazingly, these joints are in the golden ratio to each other.
- The top joint is shorter than the middle joint.
- The middle joint is shorter than the base joint.
- But the distances are not arbitrary – they follow the harmonious ratio of ‘Phi’ (φ).
Expressed as a percentage, the golden ratio is 61.8% - 38.2%.
This makes it clear: the golden ratio is not an abstract concept, but is inherent in you. Your hand tells you in a very natural way about a universal principle that has fascinated people for thousands of years.
From the body to photography
When you look through the viewfinder of your camera, you can consciously use this natural harmony. The golden ratio helps you to create images that are not only technically ‘correct’ but also immediately touch the viewer.
Instead of placing your subject exactly in the centre, shift it slightly – to where the lines of the golden ratio run. This creates a tension that guides the viewer's eye and at the same time provides balance.
The golden ratio is like an invisible map for the eye:
- It provides orientation without forcing the viewer.
- It creates calm, even when there is dynamism in the image.
- It creates tension without causing unrest.
Inspiration from nature
The hand is just one example. The golden ratio can also be found everywhere in nature:
- in the spirals of a sunflower,
- in the growth pattern of pine cones,
- in the structure of shells, snail shells or galaxies.
These patterns are no coincidence – they follow the same logic that shapes your hand and ultimately your photography.
The golden ratio as a tool – not a dogma
Important: the golden ratio is not a rigid law. It is an invitation to compose your images consciously – but always in harmony with your feelings. Sometimes an image has a stronger effect when you adhere to the golden ratio, sometimes it gains precisely because you break it.
The real art lies in knowing the principle and then applying it intuitively.
Conclusion – harmony that you carry within you
The next time you take a photograph, remember your hand. It shows you that the golden ratio does not exist outside of you, but is part of your own nature.
Your fingers, your eyes, your heart – they all carry this principle within them. And when you use it in your photography, you create images that are more than just snapshots. They are invitations to linger, stories in harmony, little windows into the beauty of the world.
