So many times, something has caught my eye when I’m not really looking for a photo, but I do like to have a camera to hand when I can, so I reach for it and start shooting.
I start with what I saw. Then I move left, move right, zoom in, pull out, stop up, stop down… play for as long as time permits.
But so often it’s the first view that works the best. The main exception is the aperture setting, as generally I leave it as wide as possible which isn’t always the best. But what is often the best is that angle I first saw and wanted to capture.
So many times I’ve read that you must move around your subject. And those writers are right, especially when you’re coming up to a well-photographed landmark or a common subject. When you’re out specifically looking for a photo, then yes, move around, then move around some more.
But when something unexpected has leapt out at you and you’ve just HAD to stop and take that photo, even when your partner has disappeared into the crowd or you’re in danger of running late, then often that first image is the right one. Time and time again I take a string of photos only to return to the first one, or first few, those with that exact composition that caught my eye in the first place.
Walk around, because there just might be something better, but don’t be afraid to trust your instinct either. I had twenty-four photos of these ballet shoes hanging from the bar at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, snatched with a point’n’shoot in the final minutes before the performance started. Guess which in the series this is.