Photography Composition: Thinking Beyond the Rules

[@LyndseyMacPherson]

"At the end of the day, photography is creativity before it is science." This whole video should be a part of every photography curriculum.

[@BrunoChalifour]

Although we may also need the science (understanding and mastery of the tools in order to use them for what they do best). If "science sans conscience n'est que ruine de l'âme" (Montaigne... so the issue is not that new). "Conscience without science" may be rather incomplete.

[@firesrtorm57]

I've had people critique me and tell me "you are not using the rule of thirds right". Had to explain that the shot I wanted to accomplish could not have been achieved if I used the rule of thirds.

[@andrewgallup3890]

Here I am a 74 year old "hobbyist who shoots what he likes paying attention to the usual rules (if convenient). Now make me angry and upset my world by introducing a new way to look at a scene. Thank you, I needed it!

[@omnirhythm]

Well, you'll be glad to hear that you're a rare gem, being so open-minded at that age. From my experience, the older a person grows the harder it is to root out entrenched habits. So nothing short of an applause for allowing yourself to look past set-in-stone habits at your age. Have a great weekend :)

[@jackbrinn4656]

@@omnirhythm At 79 I’m with Mr. Gallup.

[@andrewgallup3890]

@@omnirhythm Thanks. It may be a minority but I have many acquaintances that are much like me. There is a tendency towards being individual, but not unsociable. There is no club.

[@andrewgallup3890]

@@jackbrinn4656 Keep the faith, brother.

[@narelle4868]

@@omnirhythm Not so rare. I'm here at 70 and still wanting to learn.

[@robmcd]

I wish KZbin gave awards for kick ass channels rather than just numbers.

[@noir_realm]

I haven't watched any of Sean tucker videos in a while and I slowly felt like I was drifting away from my passion to shoot. Coming back here to watch this has ignited something and has made me realize how crucial and helpful your videos are. Thank you so much Sean.

[@eliskatesarova3104]

Same with me! Sean has this amazing power to motivate people with his storytelling.

[@emgee44]

Ditto

[@symesn]

100 percent.

[@1971wizzard]

I too was feeling lost with my photography. Sean always, always breaths new meaning and encouragement into my work…. Fantastic motivational speaker

[@everydaypatriot1083]

"I won't let the rules bully me." Enough said, my friend.

[@BrunoChalifour]

"But I need to know them in order for them to help me start and then I need to go beyond." Also said, and rightly so. Let us not forget that.

[@baldandbankrupt]

Great insightful videos Sean. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and honesty about the process.

[@thickrebel6493]

found myself among legends. hello there Mr. Bald 😘😁

[@seantuck]

Thanks my friend

[@musabbirchowdhury6678]

Bald you are also my favorite youtuber .... I just love the way u simply and kindly present everything

[@TheFede65]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It was rather helpful. See u

[@Vincent171090]

Didn't expect to find Mr. Bald here!

[@inovartesmedialdainovartes2041]

"At the end of the day photography is about creativity before it's a science"... Best quote I've heard in a very long time! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿💯😎👌🏿🍾. Powerful video!

[@harmkaterberg111]

This was a masterclass in photographic composition!

[@debapratimdhara6599]

This video is the best one I have ever watched on composition.

[@Markeymarc321]

First years of my photography I strictly followed the rules until I realized my pictures had no emotions or real personal character. Now I generally follow how the picture feels in the viewfinder. Education on visual composition is important. Wish I had known earlier all you mentioned here. I believed is 100% true.

[@mata4r43un]

You know what? Watching this video makes me open Lightroom, and finally, look at images that have been sitting untouched for months and then developed them. It's a very refreshing reminder. Thank you.

[@mrdev9843]

I like how the "outro" music track brings the whole thing to a nice finale 👍👍

[@NadiaInNewYork]

I’m a filmmaker. This is pure gold. Thank you yet again; subbed.

[@wilsonwhanau5618]

My god you are so good. That was such a refreshing way of explaining things. My wife doesn’t do photography but she loved listening to it. Podcast please!

[@DragonEye1911]

London’s loss; York’s gain. Fantastic video as usual. I love the statement that in photography, creativity comes first before science.

[@BrunoChalifour]

That is not what is said. What is said is that you need both, they feed each other. In fact chronologically first comes science (learning from more feathered practitioners and art history) then comes intuition as the cherry on the cake. Trying to dive without learning how to swim might reveal itself as problematic. One may learn of course, but at what price?

[@bernardomonzoragubjr]

I’m an amateur street photographer and videographer using mobile phone as my gear. Watching your videos feels always having a seminar. Not only in photography, but in many facets of having your own KZbin channel. That's how much I value your channel. Thank you Sean.

[@patrickngkhaixuan]

Best photography channel in existence

[@hal0hal0mc]

As someone who shoots macro on a 120mm equivalent, the 50mm is my wide angle 😂. I have been doing lots of portraiture with my gf and it's super fun doing a different genre and renews my inspiration for macro. This channel is awesome because so many channels are the "do this, not that" rule mongers. I prefer the more open minded, flexible approach.

[@alexandersilva3482]

Single handedly the best video on the internet

[@nate_thenotso_great]

You have a gift of teaching. Thank you, Sean, for always taking the pressure off of pleasing the wrong kind of critic with my photos.

[@lalalalalalalalalalaland]

You are the man! When you spoke about using manual mode , you were the one who actually teached me what everything means. And now again! You have this calmness in you. You are a great teacher , thank u

[@petehutchison9690]

Great of looking at how to look at things. Douglas Bader had a great saying: Rules are for the obeyance of fools and the guidance of wise men.

[@BrunoChalifour]

Great quote!

[@firesrtorm57]

if this man was to ever give a course for photographers, sign me up! very inspiring and informative and it comes through as if you were having a one-on-one conversation.

[@Sebastian-lw1ei]

Best advice on composition I’ve seen so far ❤

[@manu.pixels]

Whenever your video comes I don't jump on to watch because I know I need some quiet non disturb time to listen you. Amazing as always and images you put at the end of video I always love it.

[@robsmadisoncollegework5446]

As always, a refreshing and wise approach to your video. Thank you for never giving in to the temptation to pump out a video just for the sake of pumping out a video.

[@raf.visuals]

"...try placing them in those third lines..." and then there is Wes Anderson (the hero of center composition) :D Sorry can't resist. Composition is such a big field. Again, great video as always! And your images, which are showing you are also fantastic, love your work!

[@landisdell8996]

This is a great approach to the ‘rules’. I studied music and ran into a similar situation; the rules that people fixate on tend to be really heavy on the “how” but much less so on the “why” and it leads to misunderstanding. Focusing on the broader goals, which the rules support, leads to a better understanding and I think you illustrated that.

[@BrunoChalifour]

Yes one has to learn the ones (just good tools in the tool box and also communication tools as most people relate to those rules based on the observation of human vision and visual satisfaction) to extend toward the others though.

[@flameimagery9062]

Yes. It's down to definitions of words. Rule has several and the use in "rule of thirds" is "to be a guide or to prescribe what is possible." From what I've seen (myself included) it is looked upon as a hard and fast, or authoritative and cannot be changed.

[@capturephotography]

‘Visual stroll’ I’m nicking that! Good to see you back posting videos Sean.

[@goodboy332]

One of the best and most inspirational videos I've watched lately. Thanks.

[@kristiangurholt59]

There is so much good and valuable information in this video! I’ve watched a bunch of those covering all the compositional “rules”, but this is by far the one that’s resonated with me the most. I like your quote “The rules were made to help you, you weren’t made to obey the rules”.

[@miguelbarrio]

I have NEVER seen such an insightful take on composition! Thank you!!!

[@broken12367]

I’d be thrilled if my images looked half as good as yours Sean. Brilliant video as always.

[@sunnysaby86]

You are a fantastic teacher Sir !! It's people like you who inspires novice photographers like us to click and live more. " Indeed photography is far more creative than its a science ". Keep inspiring 🤘

[@BrunoChalifour]

It is both, all the time.

[@pilarcasas1199]

Whenever I see your videos I just want to go out and shoot shoot shoot. Thank you XX

[@markrawlinson7018]

I was handed a camera by my farther about 4-5 years ago, as a new photographer i started from scratch. Astro photography, i stopped at the moon. Landscape bored me. Macro, it made me jump LOL. Watching too many youtube channels confused me & browsing through facebook groups & Instagram. Like you i dont want to follow any rules that makes me stop, think & miss a shot. I feel quite confident these days on the streets with my genre taking visual notes in my head & on camera. Sorry to bore you, take care Sean & welcome to the north.

[@barrycohen311]

Tucker, you is one in a million.

[@jerrigraham5738]

Lovely video. I found myself nodding my head and making noises of agreement when you were talking about each of your images. Thank you.

[@henriqueppacca5047]

It’s always a pleasure to watch a Sean Tucker video and enjoying the opportunity to really learning something essential. Thank you, Sean.

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

Watching his reviews of those pics I was thinking, oh yeah, I see exactly what he is talking about but those are candid shots. I don't know that I would have had the presence of mind to get them as well. Then Sean explained the wide angle experiment and how he figured out how to use it. Maybe I could do it. When I was fifteen I knew nothing about rules. All I had was intuition and a few pictures in my head that I liked. I did follow the rule of thirds but didn't know it.

[@kensalome483]

One of the most intelligent discussion on composition, and I have heard a lot.

[@tonymckeage1028]

Good Morning from New Zealand, Great Beyond the rules Video, I enjoyed it very much, Have a great weekend

[@simon.revill]

5:53 amazing image, quite abstract. The cha on the left intrigued me, he is quite shifty looking - looking back at us in a balaclava. Figure Ground seems to play quite a role in this photo too.

[@HalloweenEye]

I'm just 6 minutes in, this is a great video...ok back to watching

[@EXORDIUM-3D]

Another gem. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Always looking forward to your videos.

[@musabbirchowdhury6678]

ur words are just magical. Once I finish one video I just wait for another one..... Love from Bangladesh

[@BPLeroyLotusEvora]

Sean, your insight, willingness to share and sheer eloquence is amazing. You’re an inspiring dude with a totally beautiful voice. Thank you for teaching us how to be a photography rebel.

[@davidbennett5354]

A kick in the teeth for conformity. Brilliant video Sean. Inspirational as ever, stay safe.

[@jameskelly4196]

One of the best tutorials on composition I've seen so far. Well done!

[@jadedsurrealism]

One of the best videos I've ever watched about photography. I love it so much!

[@postanimus8989]

I like the way you talk and emphasize syllables. It makes your pronouncement really fluent.

[@rocketrollsvlogs7625]

And with this video, I found myself. Thank you Sean. 😊

[@slottyken]

Not seen one of your videos for ages despite watching plenty of photography content. Today you popped up on my homepage. Forgot how much I love your art and the way you put your topics across. Another great video. I dinged the bell this time!

[@cmeluzzi]

Thank you for sharing this useful information on composition! I've been missing your videos on outside locations. The sofa is nice, but sometimes you seating on a park leads us to more elevated thougths. And it would be nice to see a bit of your new neighbourhood as well, like the photos you display at the end of this video. Many thanks!

[@don7117]

This was exactly what I have been looking for. Composition is my weak spot, and I was trying to find something beyond the 'rules'. Thanks. Very helpful.

[@Pat-1000]

Great watch mate and thanks as always for taking the time to make it :)

[@magnusahlqvist]

Love the image with the man passing you in the street. Must have ben such a thrill to see all the elements coming together once you got back home :) Great vid!

[@evanistics]

Best composition video on YT. This actually unlocked a lot in my brain. Thanks, Sean.

[@perhaldariana9485]

Thank you, dear Sean for your advices on white balance, the world through the camera looks pretty and beautiful ❤, Ariana

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hello Sean, Good commonsense video as always... Many thanks... See you on the next one... Take care. Paul,,

[@esteban578]

You’re an amazing teacher thank you for your videos

[@lakshay.singhal]

Love your 20 mins videos

[@yengmartin9670]

Brooooo, this is the best video about composition I’ve come across with! 💯

[@ricardocox2411]

Refreshing.

[@Xo1ot1]

You're a great talker. Very helpful video, thanks.

[@mikecripps7153]

Being a real amateur photographer as a hobby and stress reliever , these tips are awesome , Thank you ,keep up the amazing work .

[@Headin_South]

Well, straight away a move to a new place has changed your perspective, I really like your shots at the end of the video, they feel very fresh. Good luck with your new start Sean, I think we all wish you well :-)

[@exposuresop]

Extremely well described Sean... Love the way how you've revealed some of the most important topics of composition and kudos to your honesty. My best wishes to you.

[@dfreitas853]

Man. I really look forward to your videos because their always so very well done and so thought provoking. I don't know you nor you me, but your honesty is so authentic I feel like we're old acquaintances having conversation. Quite a gift you have! But this episode..... WOW my cranium hurts!!!! I'll have to watch this multiple times. Thanks for opening up a boatload of new thinking and experimentation for me.

[@danbrowning2418]

The image at 5’30” or so is one of my favorite pictures I’ve seen of yours. It’s one that compels lingering.

[@slaidaniel628]

Happy to see you again!

[@quintoncharles3960]

Loved this. It really inspired me.

[@pmcbMadeInIreland]

Always a pleasure listening to what you have to say. Thank you Sean.

[@eddiebond2941]

Can't express how much I have enjoyed this video. So insightful and helpfully. I really had no idea about all these aspects of composition. And as always Sean generously shares his experience and knowledge. I know I will watch this video over and over again..

[@interludemediasg]

Never allow the rules to restrict your creativity. Subjects have always been my main focus. Sometimes the surrounding. Being flexible in the moment is key.

[@SHKBKN]

This channel is more serious but more pleasing to explain about photography ! 🥸

[@onikaimu]

Great video. It is all about some of things to look for and not the rules to follow. Thank you. Stay safe and warm.

[@nntdinh]

I watched a lot videos about composition, i feel that your approach is the most suitable way for me. The knowledge by practice many and many. Thank you so much for your videos. It helps me alot, specially when i lost my way in photography ❤️

[@jnt6155]

All goes back to shooting more in order to develop instincts and trust my gut. Great video and always well presented! ❤️🙏🏼

[@BrunoChalifour]

Be aware that quantity does not always improve quality. But as long as you analyze your production and get external feedback, you are 100% right.

[@cinavik]

Love this advice Sean, one thing that's always stuck with me in any creative endeavor is that the "rules" while useful, are also a set of preferences specific to a demographic's expectations. They don't represent all interests, all perspectives, or all creative ideas. What might be a broken rule to someone may be following a rule in another cultural tradition. So heck yeah to intuition, because the rules only go so far.

[@BrunoChalifour]

The so-called "rules" are also the product of accumulated experiences, research in the visual arts, and wisdom. Let us not forget that. Ignoring the past condemns us to repeating it (what an unnecessary waste of time).

[@bunathan2485]

I just wanna say without your videos im not sure where I'd be in photography, you've helped out quite a bit.

Every video you post is one of your best videos. Thank you for your time and effort Sean!

[@AndrewCooperPhotography]

Excellent very sensible, clear and eloquently presented, composition has never been so well explained.

[@alpabopo]

This whole video is a master class

[@davidpereira5782]

Every Sean's video that I watch makes me feel going a step up in photography and in life. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@ShinDongJi]

Sean is like this big brother telling me "It's ok to break the rules sometimes. Be free, express what your mind speaks and the emotions you have inside". This is exactly what I needed right now. Thank you as always for sharing.

[@BrunoChalifour]

Yes and make sure you have the tools to do it. Historical experience and wisdom may help in order not to waste too much time on the way.

[@KarltonKemerait]

I must be odd .. lol, in the 3 boys easter photo I was most drawn to the cross being help sideways as opposed to the other 2 boys who held theirs upright. Maybe it was the break in the pattern. Again, in the photo from Lisbon, I was immediately drawn to the symmetry of the two posts and seagulls perched on top with the sailboat centered between them. The two women in the lower right can much later. Another great video, Thanks Sean.

[@DanielLopez-vm3ez]

Liking and comenting to boost the engagement because KZbin should definitely share this video with more people as it is amazing for any photograper out there. Sending you some love Sean, amazing work.

[@seantuck]

Thanks my friend.

[@DillonMW]

Every person that wants to get into Photography should see this video. It would put them at ease to about stressing for a “properly” composed photograph.

[@BrunoChalifour]

How so? I do not think the video argues for a badly composed image. ;o) It just advocates leaning from the history of visual arts (so-called "rules" of composition that we could settle calling "guidelines") and then adapting those tools to our vision and intuition in order to communicate them efficiently (so that others can relate to them).

[@jillmayes139]

Time to dust off my camera and get back out there! I love your philosophy on photography and on life. As always, thank you, Sean.

[@AoyagiAichou]

Great video, as usual! I'm by no means an experienced photographer, but to me it seems that the main subject of the 5:00 photo is the bloke opening the door/gate. I guess my eyes are driven mainly by contrast!

[@jorgealdeguerperal8164]

Thanks for another master class.Keep doing it please

[@stanfordwebbie]

This was one of the best photography videos I've seen - and I've looked at tons of them. Great job!

[@annav2609]

Thank you for sharing your videos. Always inspiring

[@geotsaou]

Finally someone explains composition at its finest. Thank you Sean, amazing work once again!

[@mariomifsud1302]

I was really pleased when you mentioned Gozo as it is our sister Island Malta.

[@dianeschuller]

thank you for a great discussion. I really love the photos you shared from your first weeks in your new home.

[@olivierdomingue14]

This is by far the best composition video out there, having been through hundreds of them most of which are disappointing and lack depth. Quality content and delivery in under 20 minutes. A must watch time and time again. Well done Sean. 👏

[@mayur_punjabi]

Routing a viewer is interesting. It was great when you correctly identified my path in the examples. Great video.

[@steveamurray59]

Thank You again Sean. ✌

[@timothystephens590]

your work is inspiring and your free tutorials are a blessing! thanks so much!