Rule 1: knowing where to stand

Many photographers talk about rules. I only have one: knowing where to stand. This is the first in an occasional series of posts about the importance of this principle.

What do I mean by knowing where to stand? Simply put, I try to put myself and so the camera in the right place and at the right angle to get the shot that I see with my eyes. So knowing where to stand is the first thing that I try and get right before touching any dials or controls.

Three of my recent photos only exist because of where I to chose to stand.

An ivy bee hovers next to ivy flowers.

This image of an ivy bee (9/10/25) was a challenge: a new camera and lens, a slight breeze and buzzing insects that hadn’t read the script. Then I noticed that a particular ivy flower had several visitors and that each insect had approached from roughly the same direction. I positioned myself so that I had a dark background in the hoped-for flight corridor and waited. If I had been one pace to the side, I would not have gained the clear “space” the bee flew into. Predicting behaviour and choosing the line of flight that gave separation is Rule 1 in action.

A leaf sits before a weathered fence post with a rusted bolt.

My second image (13/10/25) is different. A lunchtime walk is a habit I try to follow when at work. I always have a camera with me, often my phone.  The juxtaposition of the bolt through the fence post and the orange leaf caught my eye. From standing height, it was just an interesting mix of colours and a couple of shots really didn’t give me a “picture”. It was only when I moved, when I brought my viewpoint down to the level of the leaf, that the shot became clear, exemplifying Rule 1. Once again, even a small change in position to one side removed any balance from the shot. Keeping central to the post and down at the level of the leaf and bolt were crucial to the success of this photo.

Ice fans on my car windscreen.

My final photo is an abstract of ice fans on my car wind screen (17/12/25). Abstract images are basically Rule 1 in disguise: the subject is everywhere but the photo only exists where the image becomes coherent. In this case, the early morning light was angled across the screen, illuminating the fans only from one direction. Changing the position of the camera even a little lost the contrast on the fans almost entirely. Shooting from a different angle would have produced a flatter, duller image that would not have been as impactful.

In summary, my Rule 1 is fundamental to my photography.  Before I touch my controls, I move backwards and forwards, side to side, to make sure my camera’s position is what I need it to be to capture the image I see with my eyes.