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.