Knowing the basic rules of photography, from composition to exposure, depth of field to color management and more is very important for a photographer.  But honestly, breaking those rules often results in the best images. I have two rules, though, that I never break.  1.)  Always show up, and 2.) Turn around.

Both rules recently turned what could have been a total bust of an early morning shoot into a set of some of the most powerful images I've ever taken on a golf course.  

A new client, Heritage Golf Links, in Tucker, Georgia, asked me to shoot some "off-season" images of their over-seeded course.  I'm always ready to get out on a golf course, camera in hand, so I was all in.  The first day was a typical afternoon shoot, and I captured some nice images.  The contrast of the beautiful, green fairways, tee boxes and putting surfaces with the brown bermuda roughs was very dramatic and interesting, and I ended the day's shoot happy with the material I'd gathered.

The second day's forecast was for clouds and rain, but following my first rule, I showed up anyway.  I was up at 5, heading for the course to beat the sun.   As I drove though the predawn darkness, I saw glimpses of stars… even a flash of the moon… so I thought I might luck out and get a good sunrise as the front moved in from the west.  I had identified a great spot for sunrise shooting the day before, so as soon as I loaded my golf cart I raced out to get into position.  Sadly, the clouds rolled in before the sun made its appearance and the sky was pretty boring.  I came close to packing up and leaving, but following rule #2, I turned around.  What I saw was a stunning, horizon-to-horizon front of swirling, dramatic cloud formations unlike anything I'd ever seen.  

For the next half hour, I shot image after image.  I didn't have to move around the course, since the primary feature of my images was the sky, but I was well situated along the ninth fairway, next to the lake.  Eventually, the amazing formations gave way to a generally gray, rainy sky so I packed up my gear and headed home, very glad that I have at least 2 unbreakable rules!