Your shooting philosophy

markc · Mar 4, 2006

This has come up in a couple of threads, but I'm curious as to what a poll will show.

Alpha · Mar 4, 2006

I'm somewhere between two and three, especially when it comes to landscape shots. I have some attraction to shooting things that naturally frame each other.

LittleMan · Mar 4, 2006

I'm a #3 80% of the time....
The rest of the time I just shoot what comes.

(#1)

panzershreck · Mar 4, 2006

2-3, i've gone out shooting for the sake of shooting, and only later on saw a theme... then i've gone out shooting for a specific thing

i like the surprise of 2

markc · Mar 4, 2006

Thanks for the replies.

And I just thought of a clarification. When I say theme, I don't mean something like "ducks" or "sports", but something like "fear" or "happiness". An emotion or concept, not a subject.

omeletteman · Mar 4, 2006

I tend to be #2, though sometimes #1. I am really trying to move towards going out with a theme in mind, but so far that really hasn't happened much yet.

TBaraki · Mar 4, 2006

I am a mixture of those options I'd say. I sometimes just take pictures of things that are interesting looking. These pictures don't really have any significant meaning or depth behind them.

Othertimes I shoot a series with an common emotional theme. These photos always end up having a greater connection with me.

Torus34 · Mar 4, 2006

I don't leave the house with a 'theme' in mind. It isn't stuffed into my gadget bag with the film, filters, exposure meter and notebook.

When composing a photograph, I do pay attention to the mood which the final print will convey. This in turn affects the exposure and choice of filter. As you might suspect, I'm methodical, working with a tripod and usually composing to an eventual height/width ratio.

For street photography, on the other hand, all bets are off! The recognition of a composition and 'shooting' it doesn't leave time to reflect upon 'themes.' [There'll be plenty of time to count my money when the game is over, as the old song suggests.] In the heat of the chase, it's me and my trusty ol' Russky rangefinder out there wingin' it.

danalec99 · Mar 4, 2006

I shoot when my heart/instinct prompts me.

craig · Mar 4, 2006

I tend to need a theme that I switch up every couple of months. Horses are the current one, but that is a long story. Approaching the subject I consider my take on it's natural beauty.

I try and approach my commercial work the same way. Then you have art directors and clients. Sometimes shots with everyone's input are fun.

Arch · Mar 4, 2006

most of the work i'm venturing into has a dark tone... so i try to avoke some degree fear or intimidation, so that would be a #3 for me. However when im shooting landcapes i would have to admit that aesthetics is my main concern, with a bit of personal perspective thrown in, so maybe a #1 or #2 there. I'll only add one vote tho for the subject i spend most of my time doing.

Alexandra · Mar 4, 2006

I rarely have a specific theme in mind when out shooting, but i believe that being a specific type of person, i take a specific type of shots and from someone else's point of view, there's probably some common theme/pattern to all of my pictures.
so i'm probably more of a #2 type

ShelleySnapz · Mar 4, 2006

Usually its #1 but occassionally I do see a theme

DLL_4ever · Mar 5, 2006

I never really see a theme... i just shoot what looks good...

bantor · Mar 5, 2006

I have yet to develop any type of style or personal theme at all, so for now I would say #1. However, i beleive that after a while i will naural gravitate to one sort of emotion i end up displaying in my pictures.