“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas A. Edison
Photography is work. It might not look like work, but to get it right it can be work. I have a lot of respect for wedding and portrait photographers. I know they hear all the time from certain clients, “oh, I can take photos just as good as you using my phone.” The cameras on cell phones have improved dramatically over the last ten years, however there is more to photography than just point and shoot. That is less than half the work. There is planning that has to take place before the photos are taken, and then there is always the important post production process.
I typically do landscape and nature photography. I do plan things out when I go out taking pictures. Here is what I do before I go out shooting photos.
🗺 If it is a new location, I research it before I go. I will often check out other photos online to see what I can expect to find.
📷 Once I know what I am going to see, I check to make sure I have the right equipment with me. I have items that I always take with me, but sometimes I need something different.
🔋 I always double check my batteries. I usually have more than one fully charged battery with me. I would hate to miss something while I am out with my camera.
☕ This might sound random, but I always make sure that I have plenty to drink with a snack. It’s hard to focus and take your time on an empty stomach. My go to is always iced coffee to drink, but depending on where I am going, I will bring water with me as well.
These photos of Linville Falls happened because I was prepared. The first three are of the lower falls. I had been here before, and the last time I was here I didn’t have a lens that went past 55 mm. This time, I brought my lens that went up to 200 mm, and I was able to take close up shots of the falls. To get to the spot that I was taking pictures at I had to walk uphill for about 1/2 mile. I knew what route I wanted to take while I hiked to the lower and upper falls. Lucky for me, I brought a snack and some water. Opportunities in photography take work and preparation.
Through Griffin's Lens 