Break The Rules

I think that it's very important, for anyone who takes photography somewhat seriously, to focus on breaking the rules sometimes. I'm a member of several photography forums, and it seems that most people on these forums are far more interested in acquiring the latest gear and technical rules, and could care less about the artistic side of things. In fact, if you post a picture that breaks some technical rules of composition, they automatically tell you it's terrible. The fact is that many great photos break the rules of composition, unfortunately a lot of people think that these rules should never, ever be broken. Ask any professional photographer however, and they will tell you right off that breaking the rules is one of the best things that you can do in your picture making. Photography is all about creativity and it seems so few people have any sort of creativity anymore. In the end, what I am trying to say is break the rules. Make images that look good to you, and don't take photographs to please anyone other than yourself. Photography is art and art can be loved or hated, whats important is that you create art you love.

Stars Above Us

Here is a shot that was taken in Show Low, Arizona. There is a little light pollution towards the bottom of the Milky Way, but it doesn't bother me too much. Let me know what you think of the shot in the comments. Tech Specs: 25 Sec Exposure, F3.5, ISO 5000, Nikon D7000, Sigma 18-50 Lens.

The Photographer's Eye Book Review

I'm currently reading The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman. This is probably one of the best books on the market for composition in photography. Having read quite a few books about composition, I have always been frustrated by the lack of depth on the subject. Most books just tell you how to compose a specific scene, but not why. Michael Freeman explores how the eye processes an image, and how the elements interact with one another. He discusses the thought process behind great compositions, and shows why some things just don't work. The book is filled with top notch photography and is a great read for anyone who would like to truly understand composition. Even people who paint or draw could benefit from this book, since it is really about making excellent compositions and not so much about cameras. The only thing that stops me from recommending this to absolutely everyone, is that the reading is very heavy. You will learn a lot from the book, but some of it may be difficult to understand, especially if you're a beginning artist. My rating 5/5

New Blog

I started this blog to talk about all things related to photography. I will be posting pictures, reviews, and how-to's. Hopefully you all enjoy.