Tillmans operates according to a set of rules, many of which he has followed since age 25.

• He does not use specialized cameras.

• He carries a small snapshot camera to be open to the “gift of chance.”

• He never retouches or alters photos.

• He does not search for examples of a particular phenomena in the world. When an idea interests him, he believes, the moment will present itself.

• He does not photography people without consent.

• He does not publish photographs of underground spaces or parties until the venues have closed.

• He does not take portraiture commissions from collectors.

• He does not shoot advertisements.

These working rules have contributed to his recognizable aesthetic. Additionally, the human body or evidence of the human body is a constant theme of his work