Risk Taking and Breaking Rules

I consider breaking the rules in photography a risk, but I consider it a good one. Freeman Patterson discusses the idea of breaking the rules as a way to create more interesting pictures.

The "rule" I decided to break was the act of keeping my camera steady. I struggle with this one a lot, because I have a hard time steadying my hands while I take pictures. Usually, the result is that my picture is blurry and I cannot see distinct pictures. So, the fact that I could intentionally distort a picture by moving the camera while the shutter clicked was fascinating.
The picture I chose is of a poster above my bed in my dorm room. It's a quote from Winston Churchill that says, "Keep Calm and Carry On." It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to take this photo, and I'm pleasantly surprised by the result. I have a life-long love of England, and I have been interested in this slogan for a very long time. I consider the intentional distortion a tongue-and-cheek way to say that keeping calm is a hard thing to do when your world is shaky. I also love the fact that even though the picture is fuzzy, the message is clear: whenever you are down, your world is not right, or if you cannot see where you are going, just keep your head high. It's a message of optimism that resonates with me.

The second "rule" I broke was the act of keeping a subject entirely in focus. Whenever something is out of focus, it can seem unsettling. However, I think it can look good when artfully done.
I chose to use my wristlet, a very familiar object to me, as my subject. I love how the bird pattern on it becomes fuzzy, and I love how the colors blend together, almost like a painting. I feel that if the photo were completely in focus, the photo would not have this mysterious, tranquil quality that it appears to have. I also love how the keychain is only slightly more in focus than the main subject: the pattern of the wristlet itself.

In conclusion, this assignment was very fun and interesting. I enjoyed breaking the rules, and I'll keep the ideas I learned in mind when I take pictures.