Assignment 4: Break a Rule! -- Congratulations Jorundr-Jorgensen!

It is time for Assignment 4, courtesy of piiooo. We have the subject "Break a rule." Post a photo where you purposely broke any of the many composition rules to enhance the image. Please include in your post WHAT rule you broke and WHY you broke it. If possible EXIF data would be awesome, as usual.


I will leave this assignment open till Saturday January 9 because it took a while longer for me to get this up here. That gives 10 days to put in your pictures. Both old and new photos are welcome. I haven't decided on judges yet, if you would like to judge you can start a conversation with me.





Congratulations to Jorndr-Jorgensen for the winning photo!.


Jorundr-Jorgensen


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.28.17/glasshouse_2D00_0692.jpg[/img]





lynx0069


http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9291/img1482i.jpg





David Eccleston


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.28.63/horrible.JPG[/img]





mattsartin


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_txxcOCWRgac/Sz...2/_MG_3128.JPG





Mark Elberson


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.26.13/2009_2D00_03_2D00_21_2D00_15.43.14.jpg[/img]





crosbyharbison


http://www.crosbyharbison.com/files/vball.jpg





[Poll]

It is time for Assignment 4, courtesy of piiooo. We have the subject "Break a rule." Post a photo where you purposely broke any of the many composition rules to enhance the image. Please include in your post WHAT rule you broke and WHY you broke it. If possible EXIF data would be awesome, as usual.


I will leave this assignment open till Saturday January 9 because it took a while longer for me to get this up here. That gives 10 days to put in your pictures. Both old and new photos are welcome. I haven't decided on judges yet, if you would like to judge you can start a conversation with me.





Congratulations to Jorndr-Jorgensen for the winning photo!.


Jorundr-Jorgensen


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.28.17/glasshouse_2D00_0692.jpg[/img]





lynx0069


http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9291/img1482i.jpg





David Eccleston


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.28.63/horrible.JPG[/img]





mattsartin


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_txxcOCWRgac/Sz...2/_MG_3128.JPG





Mark Elberson


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.26.13/2009_2D00_03_2D00_21_2D00_15.43.14.jpg[/img]





crosbyharbison


http://www.crosbyharbison.com/files/vball.jpg





[Poll]

HDR composite image !


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.06/_5F00_MG_5F00_9270_5F00_1_5F00_2_5F00_tonemapped_2 D00_Edit.jpg[/img]


I took the picture in Quebec city Canada last week.


I took 3 picture (for the HDR) but the sky was boring.....so ...I took a picture of aurora find on google [:O]!


I remove some big cement block and cone in photoshop !


So 4 image on this one !





ISO 100


F5.6


1/5 sec


Rebel T1i(500d) Tamron 17-50....on tripod !


Its not perfect but that kind of think make me learn more and more photoshop !


Sorry for my bad English bye the way !





Here the original !


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.06/_5F00_MG_5F00_9267.jpg[/img]

I've always loved this photograph even though it's all wrong. It's not level, the light through the windows is over-saturated and reduces the contrast, the edges are cut -off - it's a mess.


But I have never seen or taken a better shot that illustrates the ennui of waiting for a bus. I took it in 2004 in Guildford bus station on my old Canon Powershot G2, wobbling on a bench seat and as surreptitiously as I could manage. Today I would try to straighten everything out, clean up the edges, sharpen the focus and balance the light - and it would be a dead shot.


Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/2.2
Focal Length: 8.3 mm
ISO Speed: 50


Exposure bias +1


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2674/...dcfafe06_o.jpg

Hmm. Not too many replies yet. I hope we have not called it a day already saying that is is too hard?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flaming

Hmm. Not too many replies yet. I hope we have not called it a day already saying that is is too hard?

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Me too! [:D]Still, I expect lots of people have been busy with their holiday arrangements.

http://www.crosbyharbison.com/files/vball.jpg


5d II, Canon 24-70, iso 1600, 68mm, f/3.2, 1/200 sec


Strobist: Nikon SB-600 bare flash @ 1/4, 50mm, behind subject (duh), triggered with Pocketwizard Plus II.


Rule: Never shoot into your lightsource, broke it on accident!

Maybe it would help if someone would post some examples of the rules of photography? As a beginner I am sure I often break these rules without even realizing it!


Stephen

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NFLD Stephen

Maybe it would help if someone would post some examples of the rules of photography? As a beginner I am sure I often break these rules without even realizing it!

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I took a shot tonight that must have broken every single rule there is, aside from rule #1 (Go out and take some pictures!) My wife just shut down the other computer with all the Canon software on it, so I can't even verify it's worth posting to this thread (though I'm sure it's more anembarrassmentthan anything)


We were driving downtown, past the Canadianparliamentbuildings. I was in the back seat of the van with our daughter, who had conveniently fallen asleep before we got downtown. We were just turning around, and heading home, when the camera was thrust into my hands with the nifty-fifty attached. Now, the 50mm wouldn't have been wide enough from our location on the road, even if I had ample opportunity to frame the shot, but ample opportunity wasn't available.


The back windows are tinted, so as we went past, I leaned forward to be somewhat between the front seats, and framed the shot out the corner of my eye as we drove past. The front passenger window I shot through was semi-ice, snow, salt, and slushed covered. Myimpeccabletiming managed to get a nice wide stone fence pillar covering one of the two parts of the building lit with coloured lights. A good 1/3 of the building is off the right hand side of the frame, omitting the two other colored parts. Atleast half, likely more, of the peace tower is off the top of the frame. The horizon isn't level. Because it was night, the shutter speed was low, the shot contains both motion blur due to the driving, and camera shake blur due to bouncing around in a moving van. There were obviously no composition rules applied, such as the rule of third.


If our goal is to break as many rules as possible, my shot may do it... however I think the point is to have an awesome shot despite breaking a rule... which is why I'm in no rush to upload it.

It sounds fascinating, David - I'd love to see it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NFLD Stephen

Maybe it would help if someone would post some examples of the rules of photography? As a beginner I am sure I often break these rules without even realizing it!


Stephen

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That's a really good question - but it would take a very long entry to list them all. Browse through any photography technique book, or a site such as this to get some idea.


The thing is, rules are designed to get you to conform to a certain standard of photography and that standard can be quite different depending on what artistic aesthetic you are striving for. I find the best way to approach this is to take or find a picture that you previously took that differs strikingly from the type of picture you are most comfortable taking. I think we all take certain assumptions and expectations with us when we go to photograph - to break with those is most certainly breaking the rules, even if they are only your rules.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by musickna

It sounds fascinating, David - I'd love to see it!

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Please, don't hold this photo against me in the future... you asked for it. ;)


T1i+50mm f/1.8 @ f/2.2, 1/80s, ISO 3200. I can't really say I intentionally broke composition rules here, but I can't really claim I was attempting to follow any either.


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.28.63/horrible.JPG[/img]

My entry is going to violate the same rule as CrosbyHarbison... shooting into your light source... except, sadly, mine is a fairly common violation of that rule.


T1i + 18-55mm IS, @ 51mm f/11, 1/125s, ISO 200.


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.28.63/sunset4.JPG[/img].

I'll be honest, I don't really know any rules.... so I'm just going to assume I break most of them.

I pretty much just know the rule of thirds, this kinda sorta in a roundabout way breaks that. Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, Montana. I broke this rule because 1) I wasn't paying attention and 2) i like the symmetry of it


tripod mounted Canon XTi w/ Tamron 10-24mm @ 10mm, CPL used


ISO 200 f/8 1/50s


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_txxcOCWRgac/Sz...2/_MG_3128.JPG

rule of thirds?? lol.....took this shot with my 28-135 lens, i was trying to get as close to the green frog as i could without spooking him, and wasnt really paying attention to the framing. i still like the shot, even though he is smack dab in the middle


[URL=http://img51.imageshack.us/i/img1482i.jpg/]http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9291/img1482i.jpg[/URL


sept 6 2009, rebel XSi, 135mm, f/8, 1/160th sec, iso640

Oooh - we're getting some great photos here.[Y]

There are many things 'wrong' with this image. It's a bit blurry, there are raindrops all over the car window through which it was shot, it's a bit crooked (I should actually fix that...), ..., but it's got this 'CMOS Noir' kind of look to it that I dig. Awesome idea for an assignment. Art is subjective, and sometimes, the book should get chucked out the window!


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2111/...c37d68f2a3.jpg


(40D & 24-105 f/4L IS @ 40mm, f/4, 1/8, ISO 800)

By the way, I dig the wicked flare in crosbyharbison's volleyball player photo.

Rule broken: Cluttered background and flowers center of focus.


5D, 24-105 @ 58mm, f6.3, 1/160, ISO 100, Sunpak 120j off camera right.


The background is a local historic location. An old Spanish mission in Goliad, TX. Not my favorite composition but seems to be the most requested by most of the brides we shoot. The original was a horizontal. She ordered a vertical 24x30 B&W with flowers color. The final print is impressive and will be on display at the Victoria, TX bridal show next Sunday.


Mark





[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.24.67/IMG_5F00_0107BWC.jpg[/img]

http://www.betterleyphoto.com/Index/...5/_MG_6035.jpg


5DmkII 24-70 2.8 @ 30mm f/4.5 ISO400 580EXII fired into 60" Eclipse Umbrella.


This shot has a busy background. I don't think the rule of thirds is in effect in any fashion. I went with Deutsch angle, not for any sense of uneasiness, just essentially to get everything in the shot. I've always like this shot and have gotten a some positive feedback so...

This picture was taking during my first day out using my new T1i. I went to Silver Lake Park in SE Wisconsin hoping to see wildlife, maybe a deer but I was the babe in the woods with this camera ...far cry from the point & shoot I'm used to. Of the many rules I broke, one of them I find funny now ...which shows I have learned something over the last month or so. I used the "Faithful" picture style effect which is for users who prefer to process their photos on their computer but I shot it as a jpeg! It would have been a no brainer to use the "Landscape" picture style forvivid fall colorsas the "Faithful" setting makes the image dull and subdued. Nate's advice from my other post about #1 advice to newbiescomes to mind ...know your camera!


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.37.26/IMG_5F00_1896.JPG[/img]

T1i + EF-S 55-250mm 4/4-5.6 IS @ f/6.3, 1/200, ISO 400, A-Dep

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clemmb

Rule broken: Cluttered background and flowers center of focus.

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I remember this photo on the feedback thread. I remember the colored flowers getting alot of bad rap.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clemmb

She ordered a vertical 24x30 B&W with flowers color. The final print is impressive and will be on display at the Victoria, TX bridal show next Sunday.

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This proves that you [sometimes] have to [as a business man] bury your photographic knowledge and edit to the customer's liking. I work at Target Portrait studios and countless people make decisions that make no sense photographically. But it keeps them happy and makes the customer reviews go up.


Sorry to go off on a tangent.


-Rodger

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/...d1626d187c.jpg





Haha here's one. How about that classic old rule, "don't cut 18 different images and paste them into one".


Is this valid? I'll submit a different one if not.


-Rodger

Here is my entry. In this one although the background is fairly diffuse it is also very busy with different colors and a fairly obvious movement from the waterfall.


Canon 10D EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM at 85mm f/5.6 1/90 ISO 100 (and if I am not mistaken) onboard flash.


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.23.29/IMG_5F00_4747.jpg[/img]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by musickna

Oooh - we're getting some great photos here.[img]/emoticons/emotion-21.gif[/img]

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I couldn't agree more!

I took this one on the fly while walking my dog. I believe it was one handed and I must have hit the exposure lock on the sun. This was taken in broad daylight at 3:43 PM. It almost looks like a bright moon but it's the sun. I thought it looked cool so I kept it.


By the way, this photo was barely touched. This is NOT a B&W conversion. I checked the RAW file and all I did was up the contrast to 2 in DPP.


Broken Rule: Don't shoot directly into the sun (at least while your camera is in one hand and your dog's leash is in the other)


50D,EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM@ 24mm, f/8, 1/8000, ISO 100


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.26.13/2009_2D00_03_2D00_21_2D00_15.43.14.jpg[/img]

Alright, interesting contest! great entries already


Here is my own entry; And the rule broken, obiously the focus.. Instead of getting a nice shot of the window the focus flew straight through it and crashed into the trees, and personally, I love it.


I know this entry is a bit more monochrome then the others but I was thinking that some varity would be good aswell.


Good luck everyone!


Canon 400D, 85mm f/ 1.8, 1/100 1.8


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.28.17/glasshouse_2D00_0692.jpg[/img]


Btw, I decided to include also the shot that I tried to archive, quite a diference!


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.28.17/glasshouse_2D00_0691.jpg[/img]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jorundr-Jorgensen

Here is my own entry; And the rule broken, obiously the focus.. Instead of getting a nice shot of the window the focus flew straight through it and crashed into the trees, and personally, I love it.

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Cool shot. I really like it.

Cheers Mark! :)

This is such a wonderful thread. Learn from your and others mistakes :) Honestly, ran into very informative "rules".





Thanks & cheers!


Dev

Here is my submission, Sumo in Osaka, Japan. No Post processing.


Canon 5D with a Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 L IS @ 200mm, F/2.8, ISO 400, 1/320


Rule broken: never shoot into a light source.....This shot was hard to abide by that rule.

I broke two rules with this one. Never zoom during an exposure and never move the camera during the exposure. I did both, zoomed from 18 to 55 mm and twisted my camera.


XSi, 18-55mm IS, 1/6 sec, f22, ISO 100


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2643/...868d07e3_b.jpg

Beautiful... so what is it anyway?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oren

Beautiful... so what is it anyway?
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>

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Trees! (The picture links through to his flikr account)

Wow. just wow.

my entry:


canon 1000d


tamron 17-50


1/1500, f3.2 iso 100, 17mm


rules broken: not leveled, over contrased, shot in direct light, subject cut (on his right foot)





http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2647/...bfd96245_o.jpg

My entry:


Rule broken: Not suitable for work (work-environment UN-friendly) [6]


Why did I break this rule? Because I really like it! [:P]


Exif:


Canon 50D + 100mm f2.8 Macro at, f14, iso200 1/200sec flash-fired.


So I was walking around the house, when I noticed these two lovebirds cuttling on my fridge. I couldn't resist the temptation to make some Voyeur footage. Here is the result: [H]





[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.34.48/21_2D00_Parende-Vliegen-043_2D00_Edit.jpg[/img]


Comments are welcome [;)]

WINNER!

Ok.. I give up! This is to much! [:D]