User ID

Seems to be very little grasp
around here of any difference
between rules and guidelines.
And this acoarst leads to cult
beliefs and mythologies about

Viewing distances
Exposure triangle
Golden triangle
Golden hours
Crop sensors
Depth of field
Field of View
Perspective
Distortion
M-mode
P-mode
Filters
Hoods
Macro
Noise
ISO
Pro
CPL
SOOC
Cliches
Spelling
File format
Rule of tirds
Rule of odds
Color balance
Color conversion
Mirrorless conversion
Focal length conversion

Rules vs Guidelines is kinda
like Pro Sports vs Sand Lot.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Rules are for the other people.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

What is the difference in your head of a Rule and a Guideline. I have no rules or guidelines. I do what pleases my creating an image.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

The exception proves the rule, guidelines are just iffy suggestions.

User ID

Rule: Remove lens cap or no pix.
Guideline: There are no rules.

User ID

Tend to agree.

BTW ... is that a rule, or is it a guideline ?

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Photo rules or guidelines are meant to help you get good results. So it doesn't hurt to learn the rules. And you can always have fun breaking them.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Sounds like a cult belief, or mythology😎

I once took 2 intentional pictures with my lens cap on in raw and in jpg to see how file size would be managed.

Bill P

For me that's a rule. And an approach to life.

Jackie_Thomas

Like any activity, at least for me, it is important to know the rules, understand them and then you can deviate from them. That is where your creative abilities come into play.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You have to follow rules, but guidelines are there to help you. Technically, there are no rules in photography since there are no referees or umpires to catch you if you break them.

MrMophoto Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"

Guidelines are rules without specific consequences and no body cares if you don't follow them.
Ex. photos look better if the subject is placed on the 3rds line: nobody cares if you put your subject in the middle of your image.
Rules are just suggestions that have specific consequences if you get caught not following them.
Ex: speed limits are suggestions, if you don't follow them and a cop catches you, you will get a ticket. The suggestion is that you pay the ticket or there will be other consequences.
Life is just choices.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Rule or guideline?.....
"Of course" should not be spelled "acoarst".

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

I see a lot of discussion on this issue. I think it would be interesting to compare 10 images from each photographer who says either "rules don't apply to me," and "know the rules and know when to break them." I'd guess that there would a great deal of difference in these images. In general, the photography rules and guidelines, and I view most of this type of information as a guideline, are based on how people view images and then process those images in their brain. So, the guidelines we use in creating images are a part of attempting to create maximum impact from the viewer perspective. If a photographer does not care about the viewer, or the only viewer is him- or herself, then there may be no need to adhere to any guideline. I photograph a lot of wildlife and I've found that the guidelines, in general, have helped me a great deal to quickly see the image and take the shot. I do this now without even thinking about it, it is just processed automatically in my brain. I also do this with still images in nature. I can scan an area quickly and see an image that might work. Sometimes, especially for moving subjects, this can allow me to get the shot that someone else misses. So, I'm happy that I've learned the rules and guidelines and I'll keep learning them and keep on practicing them. Photography is about choice and about what we, as photographers, have as our goal. It's all personal. What others choose to do is not my business.