Photography Rules You’ll Want to Break

Shhh I’m going to tell you a secret. There is no perfect way to take a photo. There I’ve said it.

Despite what legions of textbooks or photography gurus may say, the ‘best’ way to take a photo is (in all honesty) the way that ‘best’ captures the image you want. In fact, breaking prescriptive photography rules can feel thrilling – think of it like adding some WD40 to your creativity! Begone photo mundane. Hello fresh new photo fun!

You see, every rule will always have an exception. A time, place or situation where the rule is better to be broken. Where sticking to what you’re supposed to do may not be as effective. 

This September I want to bring out (think wildly unleash) your rebellious streak! Because let’s be honest, sticking to the rules all the time can be a bit – well, boring. And who likes boring? 

If you’re looking to shake up the creative status quo, push the boundaries and say ‘au revoir’ to restrictions then check out these six so-called ‘rules of thumb’ that are ready and raring to be broken! 

Rule to Break #1 - The Rule of Thirds 

The rules of thirds are one of the most basic rules photographers are taught. It’s about making sure the composition of your photo is balanced. In simple terms it divides your photo in to three parts, vertically and horizontally. Where the lines intersect gives you a guide where to ideally position objects. The thing is, sometimes sticking to the thirds works and then sometimes it doesn’t. Consciously breaking this rule can, in fact, result in a far better, far more interesting composition. Not sticking to the rule of thirds can allow you to draw extra attention to your subject. Think of it like colouring outside the box photography style. 

Feeling uncertain about this daring move? Then try it both ways. You may be surprised with the outcome!

Break #2 - Don’t Shoot into the Sun 

Light is so important to a photographer – we are always (*always*) looking for perfect light. It’s the ultimate holy grail of producing better looking photos. So, when it comes to light sources, those less experienced with a lens are often advised to avoid shooting directly into the sun. The reason for this is that it throws up a whole host of tricky technical stuff. Things you need to counterbalance or alter to get a good shot. And that’s hard to master when you’re new to photography. 

But once you’ve learnt a bit more about light, mastered the techniques, shooting into sunlight is one rule that’s perfect for breaking. 

So, whip out your creative license already! Shooting into the sun can create something quite wonderful. Think diffused light, stunning shadows and silhouettes. The beautiful contrasts that the different exposure provides is worth trying. It adds drama, texture and shape to your photography. And importantly dials up the interest level 10-fold! 

Rule to Break #3 - Blurry is Bad 

The joy of a clean, crisp sharp image is something to behold. It makes sense that the viewer needs to ‘see’ what the photo is all about – the more focused and sharper the image the better the photo right? But with all this attention on creating sharp images, it doesn’t necessarily mean blurry is all bad. In fact, there’s a beauty to blurry that you just can’t beat! 

Blur can be stylish. From the out-of-focus dreamy bokeh to dramatic motion blur, playing around with various techniques can redefine your photography. Intentionally blurring your photos is totally different from having poor focus or unintentional camera shake (that’s the kind of blur that no one likes). Blurring the background or even the subject can give a selective focus to your image. It can draw the eye and tell a story that no sharp photo ever could. 

Rule to Break #4 - Always Fill the Frame 

This is another composition guideline. Naturally the focus of a photo should be on the subject. The idea behind this ‘rule’ is that due to their importance, the subject should take up most of the space in an image.

But what if we changed that perspective? Negative space is good. Negative space can emphasise scale, tell a story, and even convey a feeling. It’s all about giving the image some real space to breathe. There’s nothing wrong with filling the frame, but what if you didn’t? What if you included some of the background using the space in the frame that doesn’t compete but helps to provide a bit of context. Would it convey a feeling, create some intrigue or tell a better story? 

Don’t be confined by the frame, use it to its full potential. Go on be controversial and try it. I double dare you. 

Rule to Break #5 - Never Work with Children or Animals 

Everyone’s heard of this rule! It conjures up images of You’ve Been Framed moments - think uncooperative toddlers, angry animals oh my!! 

But I’ll tell you a secret. This is where the good stuff is hidden. Yes, it WILL be slightly chaotic and it most likely won’t go exactly to plan but the amazing photos you get from working with oh-so-cute kids and adorable animals is pure gold dust. My top tips are to bring snacks (lots of them), anticipate everything and build in oodles of extra time. 

No-one said breaking the rules would be easy. But I promise, if you break this one, you’ll have top notch photos AND have a blast. 

Rule to Break #6 - No Eating or Drinking on a Shoot 

Life is too short not to eat and drink on a shoot – no matter what the rules are!
Whether it’s mouth-watering food photography that’s so irresistible it makes your tummy rumble to any other shoots, to get the best work possible, you must make sure your team are fed and watered. Caffeine + sugar = happier creative team. 

Of course, health and safety is one rule never to ignore, so be careful with drinks around cables and food on-set. But let’s face it working when hungry is a no-no. So go ahead and rip this rule right up and order that latte! 

There is no doubt that there is a special magic to breaking the rules - especially if they limit your creative mojo! So, if you think it’s time for you to kick some rules to the curb, why not give me a call? 

Pablo Picasso famously said that you should “learn the rules like a pro so that you can break them like an artist”.
I think that’s one rule worth sticking to. 

Georgie x