Rules and breaking them

Leaves, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

In September I discussed the rules of photography and breaking them, encouraged by a posting at Brillian Prints Blog titled The Non-Rules of Photography: How You Can Enjoy the Experience More. I'm still interested in the "rules" that are broken with good effect.

I have a nice book on taking photos of people with a digital camera. (It is in Finnish, "Henkilökuvaus digikameralla" by Suvanto and Mäkelä.) This book is quite good, comparable to the best that are available in English, perhaps because it says a little about technology and a lot about the other aspects of photography, in a down-to-earth style.

The writers are both physicists with a professional photographer degree. They emphasize that the rules they state are not to be obeyed without exception, but they do help in taking good photos. So, from the "breaking-the-rules" viewpoint, what are some of the rules?

1. Stop to think before taking a photo: what is the message?
2. Eliminate distractions from the main subject
3. Use light to bring forth the main subject
4. Check the borders of the main subject and the photo
5. Don't put the subject in the middle (golden section, rule of thirds etc.)
6. Use a triangular composition
7. If lines are not horizontal/vertical, then use plenty of angle
8. Don't cut the limbs of people

These are all rather nice rules, and obeying them probably results in better photographs, at least for most shooters. I used to be really into rules, until I noticed that focusing on them distracts from taking photos. Perhaps I have gone overboard to the other direction, but I'm enjoying photography more. I don't mean that these rules don't matter, I mean that it is good to try to break them - intentionally or unintentionally.

And the first rule is the one I break the most. I very seldom stop to think why I'm taking a particular photo. I just shoot, and explore various compositions. For me photography is more about exploring than knowing and thinking.