So it's not "Art". Big Deal!

Life's a lot easier when we aren't aware of the way things "should be". I can never get enough of those moments when children do things that aren't exactly socially acceptable. Bella just talked to her Grandpa and Grandma Joyce on Skype today. With enthusiasm and pride in her voice, one of the first things that came out of her mouth was "Gampa! Gampa! Caca -toilel!!". It takes a while before we learn that talking freely about our bowel movements isn't going to win us any friends. But how could she know that bowel movement chit chat isn't "good"? She hasn't learned "The Rules" yet. Oh, and how sweet life is, when you don't know "The Rules", giving you leeway to break every one of them and be none the wiser.

I'm finding photography to be like that. I suppose all art is, really. Before I started learning about "The Rules" of photography, I thought I was taking some amazing photos. I'd flip through them, and gush a little at how beautiful some of them came out. Little by little, though, I started reading more and more about composition and all the technical criteria behind what makes a photo "good", and right before my very eyes, what I once thought was an incredible, life affirming image, transformed into a soggy piece of poo (in the "toilel").

I don't always take the perfect photograph (er.., ok, I never do). None of the photos I've posted today are technically correct. Maybe you look at the photo above and see it's flaws, because according to the technical rules of photography, it is full of them. Her fingers are cut off. There's something green that's distracting in the background. Her legs are chopped too closely to the knee. It is not a "good" photo. But to me, it screams perfection. To me it is a moment captured, that I'll never be able to relive. I look at this photo and I can feel the emotion and excitement that the storm brought. When I look at it, those rules don't mean a thing, because it doesn't need to be good to you. It only needs to be good to me.

There is a never-ending debate about what makes art - art. Some say rules must be strictly adhered to. Others argue that rules are meant to be broken. I think the wise ones are those that say that we do need rules. Knowing them is necessary. Knowing when to break them is essential.  Knowing when it really doesn't matter is the key.