As photographers we’re always advised to work the scene.  We’re also advised to get it right in camera by striving for good exposure and composition.  These two bits of advice, work the scene and get it right, are opposed to each other.  If you are getting it right in camera why work the scene?  Right is right, right?

I was thinking of the work-the-scene/get-it-right issue because of a talk I attended at Nature Visions.  The photographer speaking was giving advice on good composition and how it impacted the final image. During the talk the photographer said [paraphrased], “in order to get a good composition one must work the scene by taking many pictures.” In the case of this photographer speaking, the “working” entailed taking hundreds of pictures of a lone mushroom poking its top through a carpet of pine needles. I feel that taking hundreds of pictures of the same subject in order to work the scene implies a lack of intention, or worse, an inattention to detail.

A photographer, any photographer no matter the experience, should approach a subject and look at it in terms of composition and desired exposure before taking a picture.  Composition is the act of creating a two dimensional image from the chaos of a three dimensional world.  Exposure is determining the shutter speed to either stop motion or produce implied motion and aperture to determine depth of field desired in the final picture.  Once these two things, composition and exposure, are determined, a picture can be taken.  If the desired exposure effect wasn’t achieved then take a few more at different settings.  If a better composition is found then take a few more pictures with different compositions.  The point is to take pictures intentionally, not take pictures with the idea that one of hundreds will be the one that works.

Intentional photography is the key to making better pictures.  Pay attention to composition and exposure before releasing the shutter.  Work the scene to fine tune composition and exposure.  Getting it right is right.