02 August 2011

Photography Tips: Think About It!

For those of you who have been on one of my courses or who have heard me speak will know that I don't take loads of photos. My approach is very considered, especially when it comes to landscape photography. I can go out to take some photographs and take a dozen or twenty. Sometimes if the weather and light is not quite right I don't even take any.
This is in direct contrast to a lot of people I talk to who take hundreds, even thousands of photos in the hope that they get 'a good one'. This to me isn't photography, it's just down to luck if they get a good photo or two. My advice would be to think about your photo before you even touch your camera. What do you want it to look like? How are you going to compose it? Is the light correct? etc. Once you have decided what to photograph and how to do, then get your camera out, fine tune the image and then take the photo. You will take far less photos but your photography will improve, and you get load's more satisfaction knowing you have taken some good photos.

How pleased was I when I picked up the August issue of Outdoor Photography, to find Nick Smith's article on a similar subject. Nick puts it slightly differently comparing it to the film days and throwing 50 pence down the drain every time you take a bad photo. But the principle and approach is the same - Think about it - don't guess.

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