Conclusion - Seven Deadly Sins Of Photography

The virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the photographer into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking.
- Brooks Atkinson, 1951, "Once Around the Sun"

My series of photography sins is at an end. I hope you have enjoyed them. I've put links to them all here so it's easy to bookmark should you want to do so. The time has come now to stop being negative and get down of my soap box. There will soon follow a more positive series covering the seven corresponding virtues of photography.

Envy - The belief that that the camera makes the image not the person. Compounded by the delusion that better cameras make you a better photographer.

Gluttony - The foolish belief that if some equipment is good then more is better. The technical obsessive without a creative soul.

Greed - Photographers with the delusion that they must impede other photographers. They resenting the success of other creative people and see them as a threat.

Lust - The desire to mimic another photographer or artist that is so strong it destroys your own creative personality.

Pride - The mistaken belief that you know best and are the best photographer in the universe. When in reality your report card might read "Must try harder".

Sloth - The belief your failure to set the world on fire with your images is due to factors other than you making no effort whatsoever.

Wrath - Creative impatience and self delusion taken out on other people in a negative, intolerant angry way.

Wrath - Seven Deadly Sins Of Photography

Wrath is disproportionate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred, frustration and anger. These feelings manifest as a denial of the truth, both to others and to ourselves. Our anger is often our first reaction to the problems of others. Impatience with the faults of others is often related to this.

The seventh and final deadly sin of photography has two distinct aspects, both of which will negatively impact your photography.

The first effect is in your dealings with people as subjects for photography. Imagine for a second being photographed by a frustrated angry photographer. Any little thing that's wrong is a major issue and it's all your fault! Would you like to be part of this experience? Would you relax and be yourself? Can you give your all to a photographer like this? Finally, in all honesty do you feel the best image of you could be made in this circumstance? I suspect you know the answer to this already. The tension and stress it would create between the belligerent photographer yourself would begin to show.

With any picture featuring people as subjects the relationship between the models and the photographer is critical. Tension and negativity show in the end result. It's because of this that a wrathful photographer renders themselves unsuitable and ineffectual when photographing people. Whole swathes of photography become denied to them. This will of course only increase their frustration and they will probably blame everyone else as usual. So the first lesson is Don't be that angry photographer. Kind words and patience go a long way. People who show the virtue of kindness are usually the best people photographers as people enjoy being around them.

The second trait is more subtle but can be very insidious when the wrathful photographer uses it. Sadly they use it freely on less experienced photographers or on their subjects. This trait is the destructive criticism of others. They very fond of delivering wholely negative critique in order to vent their anger. They don't like to receive any advice of critisism themselves. Even very reasonable and helpful remarks will be met with a vitriolic response. They certainly won't listen if any advice is given (See the sin of Pride). Criticism is their crutch. It makes them feel better and absolves them of responsibility for their shortcomings.

You need to watch very carefully for unfounded critisism. More so if you're starting out in photography. At the start a series negative and unfounded critiques from these wrathful people can severely erode your creative confidence and dampen your enthusiasm. Worse still you might get stuck in the thankless rut of trying to appease these pompous idiots. The trick is to spot the wrathful critic early on. This is suprisingly easy as a wrathful critic offers only negative thoughts or an insult in the guise of opinion. No advice will be forthcoming nor any indication of where you got things right or how to improve your work. Tact will not be in evidence at any time, under any circumstance. What they say will only hurt and not be designed to help it will make you feel confused and upset without justification. Any questioning of their negative attitude will meet yet more hostility. If you get sucked in then before you know it you're in their world being angry and frustrated right back at them. Moral of the story? Just walk away. It feels better removes their power and proves you the better individual.

Greed - Seven Deadly Sins Of Photography

This is about more than being acquisitive and demanding. It's about NOT letting others get the credit or praise for their part. It is NEVER giving without having expectations of the other person. Greed wants to get its 'pound of flesh' or a bit more...

Artistic creativity is a strange business but in photography it gets even stranger. I think this may be due to insecurity about whether it's an art or a technology? Maybe it's due to this worry that it was in photography where I first encountered creative greed. And let me say that to me the sin of greed is most offensive to me. I shall elaborate...

The reason I started writing these articles was to help people. Plain and simple. I just wanted to occasionally shed some light or make something click for people that are where I was once. This is due to my early experiences in photography where I found help difficult to come by. You see I first discovered the phenomenon of creative greed as I started out. As I had been around artists all my young life and never come across this phenomenon it was something of a rude awakening.

I'd had a camera for only a week when I stumbled across a professional photographer. As I was really struggling I asked them for help with a very basic problem. It required about 15 seconds of their valuable time. Instead of an answer I got a very public mocking. I was left feeling a little red faced, non the wiser and very patronised. I'd had my first encounter with a greedy photographer.

In contrast in the many years since this negative experience I have asked many other photographers many questions. Usually I have received a warm reception, obtained great advice and encouragement and in some cases formed lasting friendships. It was only later with experience and hindsight I realised the difference between these two schools of creativity.

Photographers who suffer the malaise of creative greed have the fear that they must keep all information and skill for themselves. That some how if they help anyone they may have a success that is rightly theirs. They actually resent your interest in photography and your success is a threat to them. These people are actually not that great creatively. Their greed and selfishness only masks a deeper insecurity and often a poor ability.

Mistakenly these lost souls think they can create in a vacuum. They think by holding people back they move forwards. They do this by taking from everyone and give nothing back. Sadly for these creative vampires it's their loss. They fail to see that one of the great things about being creative is when you put a couple of creative people together in a room and they are both generous with each other then the results are fabulous and the time spent benefits all concerned. Where as if you remain afflicted with creative greed you end up walking a lonely road with very little to inspire you. You stagnate and your work reflects this.

What Is Street Photography Anyway?

You'll often hear talk about the mysteries of street photography. Its much rarer to hear any solid discussion about what it actually is. Now there will be much nonsense spouted about the cultural sophistication required to understand it. It can also be the most cliquey and puritanical branch of photography. This should all be ignored, it's very easy to be fed a load of sophisticate nonsense by effete snobs who want to exclude you from what they see as 'their party'. I advise that you just filter out these pompous nay sayers and explore this rewarding branch of photography for yourself.

The above rant over it was most refreshing to find Johnny Mobasher's website. It covers the ancient art of street photography by letting the pictures do the talking. There are dozens of galleries of street photography and also some interesting thoughts on the subject. If you want an idea where to get started and an understanding of why street photography can be so innovative and liberating this is a great site to study.

In addition to the above site Johnny also has a blog which has on occasion made me die laughing.

Gluttony - Seven Deadly Sins Of Photography

Gluttony: does not accept the natural limits of your needs. It does not preserve any natural balance. This does not pertain only to food, but to entertainment and the pursuit of material goods...

In photography the sin of equipment gluttony is often compounded by the other deadly sin of camera envy. The results are negative and counter productive though for different reasons.

When a case of photographic gluttony begins the sinner in question begins to labour under the delusion that if some camera equipment is good then more is even better!

Now this can be OK if said person takes the time and effort to fully learn and utilize all that equipment. However in reality they tend to do one of two things and both are bad.

Option 1: They become totally equipment obsessed. The technical brain dominates the creative brain. Their piggy eyes see only into their camera bag they never look up and see the beauty around them. Photography becomes about the obtaining of camera equipment.
Option 2: The confusion of so many creative tools available causes endless mistakes, missed opportunities and botched images. Their potential is hindered not helped by their gluttonous acquisition of photographic equipment.

I'll end on a true story. A few years ago I went to London on a course in candid street photography. I arrived with one small discrete camera on a wrist strap. It had a small prime lens mounted on the front. There was a small flash in my pocket for any abstracts I saw along the way. In short I was mobile, discrete and blended in nicely.

Another course member exploded onto the scene with around six huge white telephoto lenses, two huge professional camera bodies, an enormous backpack and a ridiculous 'photo-vest'. He was somewhat 'high key'.

Within minutes of arrival and comparison the equipment junkie proceeded to mock me and several other delegates for twenty minutes solid. It quickly became apparent he was delusionaly impressed with the size of his own equipment and had assumed this view was universal. I tried to explain my choice of light, discrete minimal kit. I felt it was more suited after all. In the end we just sat in silence as the gear glutton pontificated from the top of his camera bag.

We spent half a day on our classroom lesson then in the afternoon we went out on assignment into the city with our cameras. The gear glutton crept noisily into a small square and raised his gargantuan camera to his eye. A small teenage boy looked shocked and pointed at his lens with the exclamation, "what in hell are you doing with the Hubble telescope!?!?". Everyone immediately noticed and most people laughed aloud. His candid moment was completely blown. This or similar happened all afternoon. His photographs where predictably poor.

The moral of the story is often less is more. Stick with what you need and what's appropriate.

Lust - Seven Deadly Sins Of Photography

LUST: Self control and self mastery prevent pleasure from killing the soul by suffocation. Lust is the self-destructive drive for pleasure out of proportion to its worth. Sex, power, or image can be used well, but without knowledge of yourself they tend to go out of control...

The photographic sin of lust is a strange sin indeed. It is often the subject of much discussion amongst photographers. It manifests in the form of an unsuccessful and un-original photographer. One who is so influenced and so enamored with a particular photographers style that they seek to emulate every aspect of it. Their lust to actually be that photographer takes over and they cease to be their own creative entity. This manifests in their endless dry and technical emulation of their idol.

Of course they will only ever manage to be a pale immitation of the person they placed on the pedestal. Worse still, as is the way with all meaningless lust, their loss of an individual visual identity damages them. Their passion for photography dies and the tiny seedling of originality withers in the ground.

To make a distinction from this erroneous path I'll add this footnote: By all means you should look at the work of many other creative individuals. You can draw great inspiration and pleasure from the experience. One can learn and grow simply by being open to a creative experience as represented by another. In fact being honest with yourself for a moment is it not a natural thing to want others to appreciate your photographs? So would it not be hypocritical to not extend that courtesy to others?

This is where it should end though. A healthy love of the work of other people tempered with a knowledge of yourself. Not a lust to be another person at the loss of your own creative identity.

Sloth - Seven Deadly Sins Of Photography

SLOTH: The other sins work together to deaden the senses so we first become slow to respond then drift completely into the sleep of complacency. In short we become a lazy good for nothing photographer.

This is really simple so I'll keep it brief. If you don't have your camera with you you can't take pictures. If you don't go out looking for pictures they will not come and knock on your door begging for you to pop out and take them. If you don't make an effort to find the pictures all around you, while moaning that there is nothing to photograph, then you are guilty of the sin of photographic sloth.

The cure is simple. Get up off lazy complacent backside, put down the pie and turn off the television. Make an effort. No one took a great picture by sitting doing nothing. You'll find Ansell Adams actually walked about a bit to take pictures. In order to practice what I preach I got up at an ungodly hour on a cold and windy day to take the photo in this article. I could have stayed in bed but I personally think it was worth the trip.

NOTE: The sin of photographic sloth should not be confused with photographing sloths which is a noble though slightly obscure pass time of wildlife photographers.

Pride - Seven Deadly Sins Of Photography

PRIDE: Seeing ourselves as something we are not. Pride and vanity are also collaborative. If someones pride really gets your goat, then you have a lot of pride.

In photography the sin of pride is a devastating sin. It will prevent you learning. It will prevent you accepting advice. It will make many a potential mentor shun you without you ever realising they have. Your development into a talented photographer will simply never occur. And why is that you ask? There's a simple and obvious answer to the question. If you are so prideful that you already believe you are a great photographer why would you struggle to actually be one? If you are so vain as to believe you already know best how can you ever listen and learn to a more experienced photographer? How can you ever see virtue in the work of anyone else if you are already the greatest? Also why on earth would anyone want to pause and help anyone so arrogant as yourself?


Now opening up to the fact that you are not the greatest at landscape, portrait, street or whatever type of photographer is difficult. You must subsume that huge ego. John Cleese once described this process of divesting yourself of ego as going to sleep thinking you're Atilla The Hun but waking up to find your a Budgie. Now it's very difficult to accept you are not always perfect but the benefits are enormous. If you are open to the fact you are flawed and have room to improve. You begin to strive to improve. You begin to be honest and examine your work more critically. You learn to listen and to take on board the opinions of others. That's how you grow as a photographer. It's how you approach greatness.


If you follow that advice then I am sure that one day you will be very proud of your accomplishments in photography. On that day being justifiably happy with what you've worked hard to accomplish is an entirely different ball game to just deluding yourself about your own greatness.


PS: The picture in the article is:

A/. The greatest picture ever taken.
B/. Has been posterized to hide the fact it's out of focus.

Which point of view will help me improve the most?

Envy - Seven Deadly Sins Of Photography

ENVY: Resents the good others receive or even might receive. Envy irrationaly ignores the reasons for other peoples good fortune and despises the success of others.

Camera envy is one of the deadly sins of photography for a very good reason. It gives people the delusional excuse that if only they had the same camera as photographer x,y or z then they would take the same wonderful pictures as them. This insidious little delusion manages to insult the talent of the accomplished photographer by crediting only their equipment while simultaneously excusing them from responsibility for their own creative ability.

Rather than argue about the importance of what camera you use I will simply quote three professional photographers I interviewed recently and you'll see the pattern emerge yourself.

Deutsche Börse nominee Philippe Chancel when speaking about his work was interrupted by the cry of 'Great prints! What camera do you use?' looking very confused for a moment he said the following.

35mm. I don't know what one sorry, it's not important.

Philippe found the use of repeated motifs and symbols to tell a story far more important than any camera.

Johnathan Taylor a successful photo journalist when asked about his cameras of choice was using film cameras of a 30 year old design. The kind even a mild camera snob would ignore. His reason was relevant to his trade and revealed something about why he is good at what he does.

I like them as they have a small body so your face isn’t covered

Jonathan knew it was far more important to avoid creating a barrier with his subjects than to obsess over the best camera.

Hellen Van Meene brought a smile to my face and made a very relevant point at the same time. To quote from her own FAQ's:

Hellen started making photos on plastic snapshot camera she got from Santa Claus. She advises to get to know about color in the darkroom like she did, or simply by experimenting with Photoshop (like she does now, but based on what she learned among the chemicals in the darkroom). Learning to view the world like a photographer is the only thing that matters, not the hardware, film or settings used.

Hellen's full attention is on her connection to her models not what camera she has.

The moral of the story is covet not thy neighbors camera just focus on the content of your images, your approach to your chosen subjects and then really work at it. The rest will come and it won't ever matter what camera you use.

Landscape Photography - Useful Information

Once again I prepare for a long weekend of looking out at rain out a cottage window instead of taking landscape photographs. This got me to thinking about landscape photography for a while. I wondered what sites and information would be useful to photographers starting out with landscape photography. On the web there is a glut of information out there but I find I always return to the same handful of sites. With that in mind I thought I would list them here with a brief description.

The Luminous Landscape - The brainchild of the very talented Michael Reichmann. This frequently updated site contains articles on photographic equipment, printing, workflow and varied creative advice. The articles range from the very technical to clear and concise advice. The site has something at the right level for everyone.

Northscape - The creation of seasoned photographers Keith Henson and Andy Dippie. They run superb landscape courses all year round. I can highly recommend these courses as I have done one myself and learned more in 3 days than I could have taught myself in a year. They have also recently started master classes. More to follow on them soon.

Radiant Vista - In Digital photography and with scanned film photography also, the post processing of your images vital. It is often the diference between a stunning landscape and a mediocre shot. Radiant Vista has some excellent video tutorials to set you on the right track to produce shots that really stand out from the crowd.

ePhotozine.com - Is a great web community for photographers of any ability. Ask a question and it'll be answered quickly and in a useful way. The site is crammed with people in the know on just about any landscape topic you need. There are also some well known professionals melingering on ePhotozine offering the benefit of their experience to beginners and enthusiasts.

Charlie Waite - The grand master of landscape photography. I recommend studying his images to help collect your own thoughts on landscape. He also gets involved protecting the landscape he loves rather than just being a tourist which I find admirable.

Joe Cornish - It was after first seeing the work of Joe Cornish I decided I wanted to be a photographer. Sadly I have the wrong temperament for landscape. However I greatly admire those who do landscape well like Joe. He's a really friendly, approachable and articulate person with very clear views on art and photography that show in his work. He does great courses which really make you slow down and think about what you're doing. Joe teaches you how to recognise what works in landscape and why it works. Once again this is not a random recommendation. I did a course with Joe and Dave Ward Two years back and loved every minute.

David Ward - Has a very unique abstract style all of his own. He also has a highly intelligent outlook on his work. He's the philosopher king of landscape photography and his book The Landscape Within is on the reading list of many skilled photographers I know.

Note: I'd also like to thank landscape photographer James Burns(*) for the beautiful image of Dunstanburgh used to illustrate this article. You can purchase prints from James or hire him for commissions, training etc... at his website.

* As with all landscapers don't feed him after midnight and keep him away from direct sunlight.

Photography: The big secret (Part 3)

In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series of articles I illustrated the use of words to generate an emotional response to an image and also using words to fix or alter the context of an image. I'm going to end the series on words in images with several images each using words as a visual device in very different ways. I'll discuss why and how I think they work.

The first image of the Angel Inn works on multiple levels. The interaction between the word 'Angel' and the glowing white of the building. The fact it's an oasis in the middle of a desolate decaying landscape. To me an almost subliminal message is the inference that this is a shrine to alcohol, seeming to be offering drink as a form of hope or salvation in a hopeless place. It lead me to wonder at what cost? So I felt it seems a nostalgic image but one with a very modern and pertinent message none the less.

The next image 'Chaos' is of a young boy and is an exemplary example of the use of words to create a strong emotional response in the observer. It's also a great piece of social photography. I can't give a concrete definition of the meaning of words in this image and that is part of its appeal to me. The reference to Chaos asks more questions than it answers. Does he cause chaos? Is he in turmoil? Why did the photographer choose to position the boy this way? Even simple things like is it his picture? Or what is he saying? Consequently this is a photo I've come back to time and time again. The single word 'Chaos' and its effect on the images context is a large part of the reason. So once again a great example of the power of one little word. If I am lucky perhaps Berny Howden who took the above two photographs will comment and shed some light on this most enigmatic of photos.

I took the above image 'Cancer' on a wander around Manchester on a dreary windy day. Landscape was not an option. I found the open dustbin and its grizzly contents an interesting thing to juxtapose with a warning about Cancer. Cancer consumes in a horrible manner and so do we. To this planet we are a cancer. We blank out fear of cancer much like we blank out the thoughts about our own conspicuous waste and consumption. I'm not entirely sure if the image works as some of the connections it makes are not clear to me yet but I do find it morbidly fascinating.

Last but not least a simple bit of fun to show that if you keep your eyes open you can see some hilarious and farcical things written all over the world. People quite accidentally make the most amusing visual jokes all the time. Don't forget to exploit these opportunities to create your own creative work. It's what arts all about.

The last image is just a small afterthought. Words are just symbols with meaning as are arrows, cartoons, graffiti and any number of other visual props. The last image mixes the idea of training with lack of direction using the arrows and words combined. Expressing concepts and feelings using words and symbols can be abstract but also great fun with very rewarding and unexpected results. So get out there and make something unusual and beautiful...

Note: Warmest thanks to Berny Howden for giving me permission to use the first two images in this article. It was a very generous of him to do so. Check out more of his great social photography at the link in the article you'll be glad you did.

That Old Chestnut: Film Versus Digital

The film versus digital debate has raged for many years now and much like the CD versus vinyl debate it's run it's course . Or has it? I've recently revisited film for a very specific reason. That reason was to compare black and white film to black and white digital conversion. My reason for doing this was specifically to look at dynamic range. This is the lattitude of exposure from light to dark that a film or digital sensor can cope with without loosing detail in shadow or highlight areas. The bigger the dynamic range the better the sensor deals with high contrast scenes. At least that's the theory.

Digital sensors have a pretty low dynamic range, some of the new expensive full frame sensors excepted. They have roughly the same response as slide film so it's pretty easy to blow out your highlights or loose shadow detail. They are also prone to noise in shadow areas. Black and white film however has a large dynamic range and great tonal response. I wondered how the two would compare shooting side by side in the same light.


Now one of the two shots in this article is shot on a digital SLR and converted to black and white. The other is shot on a 30 year old Olympus OM1n SLR using Kodak Tri-X 400 film. Both cameras used a 50mm prime lens and both used the same available light.

Now i'm not saying which picture is film and which is digital though it is obvious both photographs are very different. Nor do I think one is right and the other is wrong. In fact I can't say I think either one is 'best'. What I will say as a hardened digital SLR user that I will be using black and white film again because technical issues aside I think it has a certain je ne sais quoi? You see when it comes down to it it's not about the megapixels or the technical mumbo jumbo its about your emotional response to the pictures you make.

Photography: The big secret (Part 2)

In part 1 I discussed use of words in photographs. In this article I thought I'd illustrate this device futher by adding the left hand image. This is as an example of good use of words to 'fix' an image in a certain context. The sentiment and mood of the photograph leave very little doubt how I felt. They also make it very clear to the observer what I was thinking at the moment I took this picture. Additionaly I used tone and contrast in the developing process to further emphasise this bleakness in my mood.


In this case I feel the fixing of the image in a set context with words is not a bad thing. I think this is because the situation illustrated is one many people recognise and can identify strongly with. This means they can project themselves and their own experience into the image identifying and engaging with the photograph in the process. That is to say they can have an emotional response to the picture.

As a slight side note, in a previous post named 'Breaking Photographic Rules' I was asked an interesting question. The question was as follows:

'It's hard to break the rules if you don't know them. does this mean that the untrained amateur photographer has a decent chance of making a living if he is doing what he loves to do? '

I was most definitely an untrained amateur when I took the picture in this article and I think I did OK? So yes I'd say its perfectly possible to make it. Just pay attention to little details they really matter. Also work at developing your own style and your own take on things. Always pay attention to use of light. Its a critical aspect of photographyand far to vast to cover in this article. My most important pointer isthat you don't become obsessed with equipment or with mimicry of other photographers. Both these errors sound the death knell to your fledgling creative talent.

This question does lead me to wonder what is success to a photographer? I don't think its monetary. That's just my opinion of course. I feel that like music, art, writing or any other creative urge you should do it for love of the creative process not monetary success. The world does not need another snake oil salesman. However a new way of seeing would be most welcome.

Photography: The big secret (Part 1)

This is a small bit of Banksy graffitti I stumbled across behind Limestreet train station in Liverpool city centre. To my suprise this deceptively simple photograph gives away two of the great secrets of photography. It also illustrates a useful photographic tool you should use carefuly.

The first 'secreto' is self explanatory don't forget about composition before you push that shutter release button. The second secret is that sometimes a bit of visual humour in an image goes a very long way.

The far more interesting point that this illustrates is how words in images have an effect. They can anchor an image very solidly in a fixed context. This can be a good or a bad thing depending on how it is approached. It can get a point across with great force or it can leave the viewer with no room for their own interpretation. The latter result is of course very undesirable. My advice on this would be that it's worth handling words in images with care. Use them sparingly and make sure you know why you are using them.

Photographers Beware. Expect the Unexpected!

'Ah ha!' I hear you cry. 'If we expect the unexpected then it becomes the expected doesn't it stupid!'. I would of course blush slightly at your candour and say that this was exactly my point. Confused gentle reader? Then please bear with me and I will endeavour to make myself clearer.

The picture on the left was taken on a grand day out around Liverpool with wonderful fellow photographers Paul and Magda Indigo. The company of the Indigo's was as always splendid. However the weather was not ideal and nor where various other minor circumstantial inconveniences. As a result of this the photo opportunities seemed to be few and far between for me. At least that's how I felt at first.

This leads me neatly back on to the subject of my expectations. As you may realise my problem that day was not lack of photo opportunities. Rather the problem was that I was expecting a particular kind of photographic opportunity. This slavish adherence to 'expecting the expected' was unfortunately blinding me to the plethora of unexpected creative opportunities all around me. This self limiting mindset is a great analogy for a great many things in life not just in photography. In all cases it only serves to cripple your potential. And deny you the ability to achieve what you could of if you'd approached things with a better mindset.

A much better approach is to expect the entirely unexpected. When you do this you will without doubt go out and find it. There are always images crying out to be taken all around you but it's only when your mindset is to go out and find them that you will create something genuinely original and satisfying.

When I took the picture of the spirals and curves in the cobbles I had finally put aside my preconceptions and expectations and allowed myself to look openely at what was around me. As it happens Magda Indigo was on the ball as always and produced a wonderful photograph of me taking the picture of the cobbles. So I have a unique double perspective on that moment thanks to her also expecting the unexpected. More of Magda's images can be seen in Magda's gallery which is well worth visiting and often updated.

Breaking Photographic Rules..?

In photography there are many rules. In fact some frustrated creatives have been heard to argue that there are too many rules. Others counter that argument by stating the rules have evolved over a huge expanse of time and anyway who are you to question the rules?

There are many rules. Rules such as:

1/. Don't photograph into the sun.
2/. Don't use direct flash.
3/. Don't put people central in a frame.
4/. Don't shoot people from below.

The truth about rules, like so many other things in life, is somewhere in between. If you don't know the rules or if you dismiss them out of hand without understanding their purposes and limitations, then you may well fail to realise your creative potential. You just won't have the right creative tools to make good choices to reach your full potential.

However if you let the rules bind you rigidly without thinking for yourself, without allowing your own creative style to develop, then you'll forever be a pale imitation of someone elses ideas.