Here's a good example of a lucky snapshot. I knew almost NOTHING about photography in 1968, but I took what I believe is a beautiful image.

The scenery at Stanley Lake, Idaho, is outstanding.

My daughter's blonde hair is backlit, while her face benefits from the reflection from the sandy soil at what appears to be midday.

Perhaps if I had not been using an Instamatic camera with its square frame, I would have cropped a bit from the right, but I probably would not have thought to turn my camera to a vertical position.

The fact remains that I knew NOTHING about lighting or composition. After developing the film (remember those days?) I chose this one to frame from hundreds of photos taken during that vacation without knowing the technical reasons for doing so.

Later, when I knew there were "rules" for photography, I took very few photos for fear of getting it all wrong. Then I took a few courses and now happily follow or break the "rules" at will. ;-0