The photographer has almost as much control over his subject matter as a painter. He can control light and shade, form and space, pattern and texture, motion and mood, everything except composition.
The Best of Popular Photography by Harvey V. Fondiller
ISBN: 0871650371 Page: 71 This book is available from Amazon
Photography is all about light, composition and, most importantly, emotion.
Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk.
There is no better time to crop a bad composition than just before you press the shutter release.