A Blank Canvas

[Achaicus]

I worked on my ability to "see" or project how positioning and angle affects the outcome of a shot via an unusual hobby. I made "landscapes" in a fish tank out of aquatic plants and other materials. This hobby allowed me to look at my scene from nearly all angles while adjusting the elements or waiting for plants to grow in. I could change things and then go look at the tank from front and center which is the most often photographed side.

This practice set up ideas of perspective, and how movement, both of objects and angle of viewing change the composition. So now I can often be seen wandering purposely a bit after I see a scene I like because I am trying to get the framing to line up with and accentuate what it was that I liked.

Now I will say that live plants in an aquatic system can be a hard medium to learn just for that purpose. You could do the same with still lifes or terreriams for example. Just think of it as a practice session for personal development, something to play at with less stress over getting the perfect outcome in the narrow time that the weather cooperates with you.

 

[fjrabon]

It is all about previsualization. Otherwise you're relying upon luck.

Picking nits with a post that I agree with otherwise, I do disagree that everything is either pre-visualization or luck.

A significant skill of the photographer is also reacting to the scene dynamically to what is happening in front of him or her in real time. Great photographers can completely pre-visualize, or also make a complete 180 if something interesting and unexpected pops up. It's not just luck, it's being able to react instinctively because you've honed your instincts through hard work.