This past weekend I had a photographer friend tell me he got “lucky”. This is while I was checking out his work and commenting about how great I thought a particular piece was. It got me thinking a bit, especially about street photography and my particular style. The question is, am I lucky as a photographer?
Of course not. I am not lucky, I may be in the right place at the right time, but I don’t think luck has any part to play in my photography. I feel that one of the aspects that makes a good photographer seem lucky is the fact that they are prepared.
For me being prepared starts with knowledge of my equipment, lens and lighting. This means that I know how my camera works, either film, or digital. What different settings and the exposure triangle mean to my photograph and how to best use the strengths and weaknesses of the equipment to my advantage. This also means being aware of light and how it will play into capturing the image I want.
Another part of being prepared, is recognizing images and how they translate the a photograph. The photo I included in this post is a prime example of this. I could have ignored this lady as she walked across a bridge above me, but even before she got to the point I pressed the shutter, I knew what this image would look like. I think in black and white. I knew her white shirt would stand out when the sun was hitting it. I had this image in my mind before it was even possible to capture it. I put myself in a situation to be ready to capture this moment in time.
I want to tell my friend, you are well beyond luck. You are a great photographer and don’t think that luck defines your work. The fact that you are prepared and open to capturing a moment or scene is what makes you a photographer. Not just a person who gets lucky when shooting photographs.
To anyone else, if you see a photograph and think “wow this photographer was lucky to capture this”, think about how well prepared you have to be in order to be ready and able to capture this moment. It takes lots of practice, patience and skill.
