Stop Teaching the Rules of Composition

Yes, I write a the points I want to get across and ask chatGPT to actually make sense and create a blog post. It's a better wordsmith than I.

When I started getting back into photography, I took a class to shake off the rust. During one session, the instructor put up a photo for group discussion. Before anyone could talk about the light, mood, or subject, one of the students—clearly well-equipped with gear—dismissed it with, “It doesn’t follow the rule of thirds.”

I almost walked out of the room.

Not because I disagreed with the rule itself—but because of how it was used to shut down conversation, not open it up. That moment stuck with me.

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Why the “Rules” Fall Short

We’ve all heard the so-called “rules of composition”: rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry, framing, fill the frame, don’t center your subject (unless you should). These ideas can be useful—especially for beginners who feel overwhelmed. But too often they’re taught like commandments, rather than what they really are: tools.

The problem isn’t the rules. It’s when we treat them as requirements instead of suggestions.

Following composition rules can lead to technically fine photos that completely miss the mark emotionally. And if we stop there, we miss the point of photography altogether.

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A Better Way: Teach by Seeing

In my experience, people learn composition not by memorizing rules, but by learning to see. That means looking at photos—lots of them—and talking about what works and why. Not in terms of lines and grids, but in terms of feeling, flow, tension, calm.

Ask questions like:

Where does your eye go first?

What holds your attention?

Does this image feel balanced, or off-kilter in a good way?

What makes it memorable?

This kind of conversation helps people tune their eye and their instincts. And the beauty of it? No expensive gear required.

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Developing a Photographer’s Eye

Learning to see is about building visual awareness—not obeying checklists. You study great photographs, you take your own, you miss the mark, and you try again. Over time, you start to feel what makes an image sing. Sometimes that means the subject is dead-center. Sometimes it means no lines are leading anywhere. And sometimes it means breaking every rule you were taught, because that is what tells the story best.

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Conclusion

If you’re learning photography—or teaching it—don’t start with rules. Start with vision. Look at images. Talk about what you see. Talk about what you feel. Then go make more photos.

You don’t need to follow the rule of thirds to take a great photo. You just need to learn to see.