Learn the Rules, Then Break Them!

Learning the Fundamentals

In street photography—and photography in general—I think it’s important to learn the rules first. You’ve got to start with the basics:

• Learning how to operate a camera manually.
• Photographing with intention.
• Understanding rules of composition, like the rule of thirds, leading lines, form and shape, and geometry.
• Learning how to create layers: foreground, middle ground, and background.

It’s all about timing, storytelling, and creating photographs that are visually coherent and emotionally impactful. It’s not easy. It takes time to make photographs that really work.

“It is difficult to make photographs that are both visually coherent and emotionally impactful. But that’s where the mastery begins.”

Discipline Is Key

Mastering the art of photography requires discipline. You’ve got to go out every day, stay focused, and keep pushing yourself to improve. For me, this journey started early. I learned using film cameras like the Nikon FM and Leica M3. I started with landscapes and moved into street photography, honing my craft through the tradition of photography.

I transitioned to digital cameras—shooting with the Ricoh GR and Fujifilm X-Pro—and spent seven to eight years hammering away at making good photographs. I treated that time as a way to refine my skills and develop my eye.

It wasn’t about luck; it was about intention.

A Practical Approach for Beginners

If you’re starting out, here’s what I’d recommend:

1. Stick to one camera and one lens.
2. Decide whether you want to shoot in color or black-and-white.
3. Use a flash or don’t—make a choice and commit to it.
4. Pick between film or digital (I recommend digital for the faster feedback and lower cost).

“When you flip-flop back and forth with your approach, it stunts your growth.”

Consistency is the path to greatness. Get the basics out of the way so you can focus on making photographs.

Breaking the Rules

Once you’ve built a strong foundation, you can start breaking the rules. For me, this is where the real fun begins. I feel liberated now, free to tinker and experiment. I’ve moved past being bound by the traditional rules of composition and focus more on creating my own game.

“Once you learn the rules, you earn the permission to break them.”

Experimentation and Discipline

In the first year of photography, I think it’s important to experiment:

• Try color and black-and-white.
• Play with different focal lengths.
• Test out different cameras and approaches.

But after that, discipline becomes crucial. Learn the tradition. Master the craft. After a few years, start breaking the rules and creating your own style.

Photography isn’t about quick results or instant gratification. It’s a long-term process. You have to detach from fast dopamine hits and embrace the time it takes to create something meaningful.

An Autotelic Process

To truly grow as a photographer, approach the craft in an autotelic way—create for the sake of creating.

“Make photographs to make photographs. Enjoy the process along the way, detached from the outcome.”

This mindset has allowed me to build a body of work over time. I’ve learned not to tie myself to the results but to focus on showing up every day and putting in the work.

Final Thoughts

Learn the rules. Break the rules. Stay disciplined. Experiment. Photography is a journey, and the process itself is where the magic happens. Keep going out there, enjoy the craft, and stay focused.

Maybe something in this post will benefit you. If it does, great. If not, that’s cool too. Just sharing some random thoughts this morning.

Stay focused and keep creating.