I am not a big believer in rules in photography because if it is an art form, it is good to remember that art should be without rules. A prescriptive process pushes against the notion of freedom of expression. Warhol is often credited with the line “art is whatever you can get away with” and whether he actually said that is secondary to the power of the message. Authenticity is everything and it should be a personal crusade.
I do think, however, that visual harmony within an image is something to strive for if it is available. If there is some stability in the weightings, or even better, a symmetry, the photograph - whatever the subject - can be more pleasing on the viewer’s eye. Chaos works for photojournalists capturing decisive moments, but what I try to do is make pictures as opposed to take them. It is a less relevant and a less noble genre of photography than working on the Foreign News desk and the goals are entirely different.
These thoughts were very much on my mind in Yellowstone National Park when working with this lone bison. The only shot that could work had to have symmetry as well as detail. If the bison was a meter either side of this position then there would be no image.
Of course, the truth was that most of the photographs that morning were lopsided and aesthetically awkward. The bison would not be at right angles to my camera and not starring down my lens or the head would clash with the trees and create a nasty tension point. It’s a low percentage gig.
Luckily all a photographer needs to show is one shot.
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