In this unit, we looked at “wrong” photos, photos that doesn’t follow the the rules of taking a “good” photo. We also took “wrong” photos ourselves and analyzing them for the photographic rules they broke.
Rules of photography
- What is the purpose of rules in photography?
The purpose of having rules in photography is to have a standard for a “good” photo. Having these rules will allow photographers to define whether the photos they had taken are “good” or “bad”. Although photographers doesn’t use it as a definitive yes or no guideline, it still helps them to determine the quality of their photos.
- What are (some of) the most important rules in photography?
One of the core elements of photography is having a subject. Without a subject, the photo will look empty and unattractive. Other important rules include: keeping the horizon flat, having a focused subject, having converging lines, and the use of negative space.
Who needs rules anyway?
- When might it be a good idea to deliberately break the rules?
I think that there is no point in breaking a rule if we are doing so just to break a rule. However, breaking a rule while making the photo more interesting or look better is the key in this unit.
- Do you think it is possible to break rules if you don’t know they exist? Give reasons for your answer.
I think that breaking rules even if we know they don’t exist is possible, as these rules may not be very well known by people taking photos for fun. These rules are only used as guidelines for a successful photograph, but it doesn’t mean that by not following these rules, one will never be able to take a good photo. For those who really care about following the rules of photography, they have broken a rule. However, for those who don’t know or care, they did not break a rule.
- Can a ‘bad’ picture ever be ‘great’? – How important is context in photography? (context= why a picture was taken, when or where it was taken and what message you were trying to make)
A “bad” picture can always be great, if we look from the photographer’s point of view. The context in photography is very important. We may never know why someone took a photo if there are no stories or information that supports its point of view. For example, the picture “Wrong” taken by John Baldassari. The title, the time when it was taken, and the message it conveys all contributed to the photo going from a “bad” picture into a “good” and meaningful picture.
Context in photography.
- How is context important in Photography?
Context in photography is very important, it can turn a “bad” photo into a “good” photo. The picture “wrong” by John Baldassari proves this point. The photo broke a lot of rules when it was taken, the lack of subject, color and the problem of sepia. However, the title “Wrong” already tells the viewers that the rules broken are done deliberately. However, the message that John Baldassari tried to convey was very clear. He wanted to rebel against the rules that define a “good” photo. These examples of context helped the seemingly “bad” and meaningless photo turn into a “good” and meaningful masterpiece.
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