Hi Frank: Thanks for your response. Sitting on the fence is often a good thing at least you are looking at both sides before you jump. Actually, let's look at it from that perspective. If a photographer takes the time to learn the "guidelines of composition we'll call them (rules)" they can then climb up on the fence and decide which way they want to jump on any given image they are about to make. They can jump on the side where the rules are and make a very traditional image or they can jump on the side where there are no rules and make a non-traditional image. They could also stay on the fence and straddle both sides to create an image that is traditional but pushes the boundaries. If they don't know the rules they don't know where to jump. Chances are it is a hit and miss — more often a miss than a hit. Like I have said before, it helps to know the rules so that you can break them successfully. Rules are meant to be broken.
So, Frank, I don't see this as taking any side. Know the rules so you can break them. It's really quite simple.... Thomas Van Veen's headless bride is an excellent example of breaking the rules to create a non traditional image of a bride. His "reject" is a very well done traditional image of a bride. I like the one that breaks the rules. But judging from the "reject" image, I can tell that TV knows the rules of composition and knows when to break them successfully. Vic
