The other day I was showing some pictures, and on one of the images I was showing, someone made a comment. They praised the tones, the exposure, stuff like that, all the technical choices—but not a peep about how it made them feel.

And I get it—sure, rules matter. But they’re not the point of the whole thing. They’re just a framework, a scaffolding to create something that moves you. They hold the thing together but they aren't the thing.

Nobody remembers a perfect histogram but they do remember the image that stayed with them. The image that made them feel something.

I was bewildered by that comment and didn't know how to respond. I just said Thank you. And I hope one day, that person will ease up on policing the rules, keep appreciating their purpose since they do serve a purpose, and start seeing photography the way it was meant to be seen—for the joy of it all, the story that's embedded, and hopefully, the emotion.