Can rules be broken?

deb22

Hi everyone, I usually go for a sharp image but recently attached a piece of screen to the front of my lens and took some shots. I like the softness it gave but am not too sure.Printed large on rag it looks great but different than I am used to. I could use some objective opinions on this. Thanks.:dunno

Harryb

Rules can and should be broken. I can't give you an objective opinion but subjectively it looks OK to me. I love the idea of going for a soft look on an image.

The key here is that you think it looks great. In the end the only opinion that really counts is your own.

Ric Grupe

Rules?

Nobody told me there were rules! :bash

Osprey Whisperer

Now what fun would photography (life) be without breaking the rules from time to time ? Keep thinking outside the tyical boring usual box.

Brian_S

and
the photo looks great the way it is!

oldoval

Already been said before but...............if you like it, then that's all that matters.

deb22

Thanks for the opinions, When you go for close and sharp all the time and then try something different it's hard to look at it without noticing the other attributes of a photo. But you are right if I like it then it;s o.k for me anyway.

Ric Grupe

As an after thought here, Deb...

Maybe cutting out the center portion of your screen might be useful.

Then put your subject in the center for sharpness with a softer kind of vignette around it due to the screened portion. Then crop for composition.

Lindiwe

Very interesting shot. I think I like it.
It looks soft in a good way, not in a 'this isn't in focus' way... if that makes any sense.

deb22

Ya Lindiwe, that's kinda what i thought too. Ric, great idea I am going to try that next time.

jwear

rules look at what folks call art today so no - the only thing is when your
friends look and say mmmmmmm then the rule --do not hit your friends apply

Gale

I like it.
What type of screen did you use.

Dennis Kaczor

Way to go Deb, going outside the box and adding a screen in fron of the lens to soften it seems to have worked well here.

zoomer

If everybody always did what others had done before there would be no progress. Know the rules....then break them every chance you get.
If you like it...then it works.
Throughout history there have been masters who created works of art that in their lifetime were not appreciated by their peers, but later were considered masterpieces....not saying this is one of those .

Look around at what is happening in photography, people don't follow any rules...in fact it has become a look...I call it Rap photography.

dlplumer

Looks good

deb22

Thanks guys, and Gale I used a piece of metal backdoor screen about 1" from the lens. I just bent it and put an elastic to hold it. I just tried Ric's idea and put a small hole in it to focus on the face and it looks even better but the jay that came around was not as pretty as this one so I will keep trying. I know setting things up in camera is better but I only have one arm to use so I have to come up with things that I can use when doing birds cause they are to fast for me to put the camera down and change settings. I read all the photo books from the 60"s and use things like vaseline to blur but this is much cleaner.-Ha Ha!

VayCayMom

Is it "pretty"? yes it is. I like it. I might be tempted to brighten the bird up just a smidge. It is nice enough to post without any comments, great job.

Photoskipper

My rule is never follow the rules.
Depend on what is the objective of the wildlife photography. If it is for record purpose, it is better to have clear and detail shoot. But if it is for the artist means, it is all up to the presenter and reader.