I've spent a lot of time studying the "rules" of photography from many different experts. I studied the rule of thirds, the rule of lighting, the rule of shake your left leg three times, spin right twice, jump once, and howl at a full moon on a Tuesday. I studied the rules for macro photography which happens to look like the rules for landscapes and nightscapes and portraits and photography in general. Oh, let's not forget the final all the experts tell you at the very end, that's break all the rules.

I've come to the to the following conclusion; there are no rules, zero, zip, nada, the big goose egg! The real title should be Here's a list of things to mess with to help you learn your camera until you figure out what you want to do.

Photography is an art! The photographer is an artist! It's totally up to the artist to decide what to do and how far to take their art. Anything anybody says is merely a suggestion of what that person would like to see.

Yes, I'll still look at what others are doing and saying. I've come across many suggestions to try or at least spark a part of my imagination. Sometimes one leads to the another.

Whether you shoot for a base for a picture maker or for straight out of the camera or to simply record a moment in time to prompt your memory later or whatever else, own it like a boss, cause it's all good.

So on that note. I'm going back to playing with my camera and look forward to seeing what others create. As for the rules? What rules? I don't know no stinkin rules.

4x5 or 8x10 are specialty cameras, whereas 35mm was the standard for the cameras most used by avid amateur photographers as well as professional journalists, etc. (think of Vietnam). 35mm was also standard for motion picture movie making for the most part. So...35 mm would be considered a "full frame," as compared to smaller negatives which were not. Larger negatives and cameras were given their own appellations. 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 was considered a medium format. Other formats were called large format.

I've posted a few images and comments about my Sony RX 10 IV. I have so much to learn about the camera.
OK, how many of your would admit to these f--- ups?
1. Took 200 images in Prague, in extremely hot weather (90+ degrees), and discover I had no card inserted. BTW: they were wonderful images.
2. Took about the same number of images in Vienna and discovered no card in the camera.
3. My wife was sick in Budapest so we spent a day in the hotel room. No images.
4. We had one more day after our tour ended (today). Hired a private driver and guide to take us around the city, specifically for photo scenes and vantage viewpoints. He was terrific and added history of the country as we drove from site to site. Fabulous sites!!! Fabulous images!! Get back to hotel, paid him $180 & a $40 gratuity for three hours. Could not wait to get back to hotel room to review the images. Guess what? No images!! For the 3rd time, NO Card!!
I could not understand why I did not receive a "no card" warning and how the camera took images without a card. Took out the book (Alexander White) and discoverd I had not enabled the feature in the voluminous menu. DUH!! DUH!!. My father, only in jest, used to day to me, "you're getting dumber by the day"! He was right

No lectures please or how to prevent such mistakes. I've been whipped enough.

I'll soon recover and forgive myself.
Mark