Between the rule of thirds, camera settings, guidelines on focal length, depth of field calculations, and more, landscape photography can be a rather prescriptive genre. And while it can be good to have rules that increase your chances of coming home with a keeper, they can also be overly restrictive. This great video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer discussing why feel is more important than following the rules in the genre. 

Coming to you from Alister Benn of Expressive Photography, this fantastic video tutorial discusses the importance of feel over following the rules in landscape photography. For sure, this does not mean there is no value in learning the rules. After all, as Picasso said: “learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” Rather, adhering too strictly to rules can make your work overly formulaic and prevent you from discovering what makes your individual creative voice unique and special. The next time you’re out shooting and catch yourself on autopilot, stop and make each decision intentionally instead. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Benn. 

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, “Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!”