On a recent podcast, we heard a professional photographer talk about how to make money by selling photos of newsworthy events. Of course it means you’d have to be at the right place at the right time WITH your camera ready to capture those images. This actually holds true for almost all kinds of photography and you can significantly increase your chances of capturing those stunning images if you INTENTIONALLY PLAN to be at the right place at the right time. Of course the opposite is also true, if you’re at the wrong place at the wrong time, you decrease your chances of getting the shot that you hope for.
Intentionally getting yourself at the right place at just the right time takes some planning, practice and often a bit of patience. You might be at the right place (i.e. a beautiful location by a lake), but the time might be less than ideal (bright noonday sun) which could make for a mediocre picture. You might be hiking at the perfect “golden hour” at sunrise, but you might not be at an interesting location with compelling subject elements. Again, potential for mediocrity.
TIP: Research your locations ahead of time (take notes if you need to), plan when the light is likely to be best, bring the right equipment then go make that stunning image.
It can be frustrating to leave a location because the elements of light or other conditions didn’t come together. I’ve been at locations where, try as I might, with all the creativity I can muster, I’ll have to concede defeat and admit “there’s no shot” right then and there. An example: I’ve driven to locations looking for the killer sunset photo, but the weather and sky just didn’t cooperate that day. A plain boring sky with no clouds makes for the common, gradient, uninteresting sunset photo. I might try to dress it up by composing the shot with some interesting foreground elements, but I usually end up thinking “This shot would be SO much better with a more interesting sky”. Time to pack it up, note my location and come back another time, or two, or three, or more until all the elements line up for that killer shot. Here’s a big tip: knowing the sunrise and sunset times can help you get amazing shots.
With patience and persistence, you’ll get the shot. It’s the day where it rained earlier and has cleared up, but the sky still has traces of nice clouds that bring it character. The tide is coming in and the waves are causing the surface of the water to sparkle and shimmer. The palm trees on the horizon are making a great silhouette when a gull flies by and completes the picture. Or the sunrise on the mist rising from the lake adds to the tone and mood of the picture in just the right way.
- Find your location with interesting elements
- Research the best times to be there
- Bring the equipment that you need: tripod, strobes, reflectors, light-stands, etc.
- Arrive a little early and set up your shots
- Be patient and persistent and come back another day if things just aren’t right
Check out the video below for an example of being at the right place, at the right time. (bonus: an unexpected fish photo-bomb)
Make money with your camera?
Love the fish photo bomb in the video! This underscores not only that planning can make a huge difference in getting a good shot (e.g., morning and evening lighting, as Sonny indicates), but also that serendipity can also help. 🙂
I’m an average photographer at best, and just form my own limited experience I’ve notice how the early morning hours in particular can yield some great pictures. Plus, you often have the bonus of some peaceful solitude at that time of the day!
Great point about peace and solitude. I really like the serenity and time to think and plan that I get at that time of the day. Later in the day the same place may be filled with more people sipping their lattes, bringing their dogs off leash. It not only potentially ruins your serenity but your photos as well.
Wonderful advice. Your pictures are outstanding, just beautiful. Will keep all suggestions in mind from now on.
Thanks Marlane! Hope they help you make some beautiful photos!
Do you have any suggestions on settings / setup to take good photos when it’s dark / dim? (Like in the early morning or when the sun is setting). Thanks!
Pat, Personally I like to keep my ISO as low as possible to reduce the noise. In certain situations, (i.e. sport photography in a dimly lit building) you may have no other choice but to crank up you ISO high so that you can get the shot. In those cases, it’s better to deal with a bit of noise instead of missing the shot. But in the case of landscape photography, you generally have time to plan out your shot to some degree. Low ISOs in dim light will probably mean a slow shutter speed, so you’re going to NEED to use a tripod. This is my general process: I set the camera on the tripod and compose my shot. Set my ISO low, use the Aperture Priority mode and my aperture with a higher number (a smaller hole). I’ll then set a 2 second timer, press the shutter (POP!) then evaluate the results. I might also take the exact same, composed shots a little overexposed and underexposed (by changing your exposure compensation) just to get some variations on the exposure. When you get home you can either just pick the best one, or you can use software (and your mad skilz) to blend them together for a nicely exposed, final images. Hope that helps!
Seems like photography can exercise your patience. I think our society tends toward the “got to have it now”, faster, faster, faster. Slowing down a bit to experience your surroundings, taking your time, and looking for potential good shots might be good therapy.
That’s a good point Phil. The expectation of immediate gratification is all around us and I think there’s a lot of value to slowing down when you can.