During a coaching session with a talented student last night, I tried to make a bad picture of him, to show him what not to do.

Problem is, I just could not do it. Here’s the picture:

Even when trying, subconsciously I…

• Tilted the camera.
• Used a lower f-number (a wider aperture) to blur the distractions in the background.
• Aimed my flash behind me.
• Composed for the rule of thirds.
• Used the Willems 444 rule (400 ISO, 1/40th second, f/4) to get a nice background.

You see, these simple rules aren’t about how great I am. They are simply good guidelines to follow, which, when we follow them, make things better. And with practice, these will become automatic, like when you drive to work.

So… learn the rules, and then shoot a lot.