Don’t Believe Most Photography Advice

Most photography books tell you that a "perfect" composition requires a foreground, midground, and background. But what if that traditional advice is actually holding your storytelling back? Shop Very Good Presets, LUTS, workshops, and gear: https://shopverygood.com/ Join the Very Good Discord:   / discord   Visit me at https://dave.online/ Instagram:   / daveherring   Foto: https://the.fotoapp.co/dave Join the Patreon:   / daveherring   My camera strap: https://shopverygood.com/gear Another great strap: (Use HERRING for 10% off): https://cleversupply.co?ref=9q5OV MY CAMERA KIT: Leica M11P Safari: https://bhpho.to/4nqXyAa Leica M6: https://geni.us/H4NZTa Leica Q3M: https://bhpho.to/400rYjr Leica 28mm Summicron: https://geni.us/YAair Leica 35mm Summilux: https://geni.us/2xhIfkB Leica 50mm Summilux: https://geni.us/VtYro Leica 90mm Summarit: https://geni.us/sijs Hasselblad X2Dii: https://bhpho.to/3O02sZ3 Cover Your RED DOT: https://geni.us/reddotcover/ MY YOUTUBE STUDIO: Harlowe Lights (use the code DAVE10) https://www.hobolite.com/discount/Dave10 Sony A7SIII: https://geni.us/2ppkK Sony 16-35GM: https://geni.us/f5LTb Studio mic: https://bhpho.to/49WxBlj My printer: https://geni.us/BbUcVOj Protect your gear: https://www.ppa.com/join/member-2-member I use Squarespace with a lot of custom coding for my website. Check out Squarespace here: https://squarespace.syuh.net/c/513183... Need additional footage? https://artlist.io/referral/6264182/Dave In this video, I break down why I’ve moved away from the standard "three-layer" rule and what I focus on instead to create photos that feel peaceful, balanced, and "zen." We’ll explore why the top half of your frame is more important than the bottom, how to use rudimentary shapes like triangles and rectangles to guide the viewer’s eye, and why critical focus is actually secondary to a strong story. Whether you're shooting landscapes, street photography, or portraits, these objective guidelines will help you move past gear technicalities and start making photos that truly elicit a feeling. 00:20 - Why Composition is Not Subjective 02:04 - The Myth of Foreground, Midground, Background 03:26 - Why the Top of the Photo Matters Most 05:42 - Community and Discord Invite 06:28 - Using Rudimentary Shapes for Zen 09:02 - The Importance of Straight Lines 09:40 - Upcoming Photography Workshops 10:35 - Why the Subject is Everything 11:09 - Why Critical Focus is Secondary 12:35 - Why Background Separation Doesn’t Save a Story 13:36 - Final Thoughts DISCLAIMER: Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning that if you click it and buy the service or product, they give me a small commission for sending you. This is a small way I support this channel, and making videos like this one.