“Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.”
– Dalai Lama XIV
Rules can be useful. For example, the “Rule of Thirds” helps us create more dynamic images by placing the subject at the intersection of lines that divide the frame into thirds. Some rules, like the “Rule of Thirds” have come down to us as wisdom from generations of photographers. Others, embody lessons learned ourselves. Regardless of the source, it’s important to know and understand the rules we are explicitly and implicitly working under so that we can break them when necessary to achieve or even expand our vision.
This image is about breaking rules – two of my own rules. The first is “Don’t photograph flowers in full sunlight.” The second is “Always use a tripod for macro photography.” Both of these “rules” have served me well in the past, but not that day.
As I was walking back to the car after trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to photograph wild blue flax, I saw this backlit flax blossom against a background in shadow. I was immediately captivated. The blossom was in full sunlight, but the light was being filtered through the blossom and the background was the perfect foil.
I had the tripod in my hand, but didn’t use it. Setting up the tripod would have broken the spell. I was in the moment and it wasn’t a tripod moment. Instead, I used my 200 mm macro lens hand-held. The result speaks for itself.
