pictures that break composition rules

[paulr]

The only rules I had in high school art class were to be on time, don't ingest the photo chemicals, clean up after you're done, and don't misbehave enough to get sent to the principal's office.

Ok, those are still pretty good rules.

[djdister]

1) soft elements in composition (lack of DOF)
2) no soft elements in composition (too much DOF)
3) no black tones
4) too many/much black tones

Some more that I remember hearing long ago:
5) don't put the horizon exactly in the middle
6) don't put the subject dead center
7) avoid completely symmetrical compositions

[Tim Meisburger]

Opps... I cropped her head (4x5, Universal Heliar, 2012)

[Leszek Vogt]

If the image works, does it matter that it follows the rules ?....or not ?

Les

[djdister]

Opps... I cropped her head (4x5, Universal Heliar, 2012)

In motion picture work this would be an extreme close up, and completely within the rules of that format...

[invisibleflash]

Here is something I did on comp. (Most is not LF)

nsfw

https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/...-with-the-ear/

[bigdog]

Cut her head off.

Amateur ...

http://www.chemamadoz.com/images/gal...ginal/A/A1.jpg

[Tim Meisburger]

Opps... I cropped her head (4x5, Universal Heliar, 2012)

I actually broke two rules here (I guess I'm just a rebel). Not only did I crop her head, but the focus is on her skin rather than her eyes. At the time I wanted to echo and balance the texture and highlight on her skin with the texture and highlight on the black leather sofa on the right, but now I realise how truly wrong that was,

[DrTang]

Oh Oh


the background stand is showing

[Randy]

Along with the "rule of thirds", I was instructed to have my subject facing "into the picture", not out of the picture...I just liked this more.