It starts with a glance .. an attraction .. something catches my eye.  

I pause. Survey. Consider. What in the scene am I trying to convey?

Years of working with a large format camera (thanks to Ansel Adams and his wondrous craft and zone system), taught me to pay close attention to the edges of the view. Since large format required a tripod and angle and lens corrections, the craft of capturing a scene was slow, careful .. almost cautious. What was inside the shot? What had been left out? Each image required sheet film, then development of that film.  There were costs involved that digital has eliminated.

With digital imagery, I take too many photos of one scene. I am quicker, less focused, and count often on a hard drive of options to later pick the ‘sweet’ shot. However when I am engaged in discovery, I will work the scene to find the best vantage point, the most compelling angle, the key lighting.  

Again, I ask myself, “What am I trying to convey?” Is it color? Pattern? Abstraction? A stunning landscape or sunrise or sunset? The innocent play of my friend’s child.   

The next time you start to pop the shutter on your iphone and/or digital camera, stop and ask yourself - is this the best way to portray or capture this image?  Maybe moved two steps to the left or right.  Maybe move closer or farther away. Pay attention to clutter in the background.  See if you can balance sunlight details with those in the shade. Imagine the final image in your mind’s eye before you take the picture.