Below is a collection of random thoughts on the experience behind the photography. The experience not only includes the photography shoot itself, but the planning, preparation, strategy, and tactics. In fact, success in the field critically depends on being at the right place at the right time. 

The experience also includes post shooting activity such as image organization, processing, and printing.  Each step is critical and potentially a weak link in the quest for creating a successful image.

Additional discussions can be found under Image of the Month.

 -  When I was younger I would photograph a scene, and when I got my photos back, they just didn't seem to convey what I remembered seeing.  Could my mind have enhanced the image from the time I pressed the shutter release until the time I printed the image?  Of course, but at least with digital, it's possible to post-process the pixels into an image that more closely resembles the image I thought I originally saw. 

 -  I always go to a location with a sense of purpose.  I may not know in advance the best subject for the day, but whatever it is, I'll photographic it.  A couple ways to greatly improve results are:

1)  Once you capture the image, shoot it again.

2) When your ready to leave, shoot it again.

 -  Shooting a subject can often absorb practically all of my mental focus.  I was recently photographing butterflies at Wild Animal Park in San Diego.  When I began, there were only a couple other persons in the green house.  An hour later when I was preparing to leave, I realized that the green house was absolutely packed with people. Yea, I kind of knew there were a lot of people in the green house while shooting but I was so focused on the butterflies I really didn't have an appreciation of how packed it really was. I couldn't get to the exit fast enough.

It may also take a little while for me to transition from "logical" mode to "intuitive" mode but this is a critical part of being creative.

 -  There are beautiful locations that just yield beautiful images.  However, I really have an appreciation for beautiful images of not-so-beautiful locations. It's the more personal interpretation of less than perfect location that really stands out in my mind. They're also a much greater challenge to capture but you often get something better than you saw.  Now that's an experience worth remembering.

 -  During the days when film was dominant I'm the kind of person that was always less than excited by the images processed by the local lab.  Photoshop (and other imaging programs) give the capability back to the photographer to recreate the image on paper that was experienced in real life.

Often times, when shooting at a location, what other people say to you can help enlighten the experience. For example, while I was leaving a location, an older couple asked me "did you get what you came for?" I looked back and responded "I'm an opportunist".  By their reaction, they knew exactly what I meant. "That's even better."  A few minutes later as I walked towards the parking lot, two persons laden with movie gear looked at me and one of them said "Done?". My immediate reactions was "Yea.".  I kept walking and thought to myself, yea, done for the day but that's all; I'm really never done. 

These two comments brought to mind a situation that occurred to me several years ago when I was just beginning to take photography seriously.  I was photographing the patterns in some grasses in San Diego when I heard a young child say to his dad "Look dad' he's taking a picture of nothing".  Think about it; children never lie?

Working in a corporate environment, I tend to differentiate between the goal of photography and the process of photography.   Both are part of the experience of photography.  From capturing  hard to photograph wildlife or capturing the beauty of an exquisite flower and relaying that beauty to others represents the goal.  Preparing for the trip, selecting the appropriate equipment, finding and selecting the subject matter, composing, and digitizing the image is the process.

Personally, successfully reaching the goal yields a short term euphoria while the process, especially the trip itself, produced a longer term and more memorable satisfaction.  Either way, both are part of the photography experience.

For scenic photography, one should thoroughly research the location via written media, the internet, fellow photographers, are actual visits if possible.  Time of year, weather conditions, events are all important criteria.

Imagine the first time you stepped out of your vehicle to witness the vast expanse of Yellowstone or Yosemite.  The imagery and possibilities seem boundless; capturing this reality is not nearly as easy. Photography provides a great excuse and opportunity to visit other places and expand your ability to visualize nature and people.

For wildlife photography, being prepared to take a photograph of an alert and fleeting subject may be critical to success. One second may make the difference between successfully capturing the subject on film or failure. With untamed wildlife, it is not often that the photographer sees the subject first.

I will generally carry an F100 with 80-400 VR, strapped around my neck, ready to shoot.  My default settings for the F100 are VR ON, dynamic auto focus ON, focus limit OFF, aperture priority at F 7.1,  and ISO 400 film at 320. I will generally shoot first and think later.  If the subject remains visible, I will try to improve on the composition and the exposure.   The first exposure of a sequence is my insurance shot.  As I move closer, I will take additional exposures. If possible, I will repeat this process two or three times.

Some of my most successful photos have resulted from standing in a location for an extended period of time and the animals literally walked within shooting distance. If an animal does not perceive a threat, it will be easier to capture on film.  The VR lens demonstrates its usefulness since there is no better way to scare off wildlife than with a tripod.

I also carry and N90 with 17-35 in a shoulder bag. In order for this lens to be an effective wildlife lens, you'd probably have to be at the zoo.

Efficiency is an aspect of nature photography that is seldom discussed.  Professionals on assignment can wait for hours for the perfect opportunity. Amateur photographers, with limited time, don't have this luxury and must maximize their picture taking opportunities.  For example, I recently spent 4 days in Yosemite.  I went with a group of other photographers who had been photographing Yosemite for many years.  Attending an organized photography session may be a few hundred dollars more expensive but those photographers knew exactly where to go and when.  On your first visit to a location, this is a productive way to go.  You can always go your own way on subsequent trips to that location.

Ultimately, the photo experience may not even include taking a single photograph.  This may sound contrary to the objective photography but sometimes the situation is just so enlightening, its more appropriate to just enjoy the pure experience rather than interrupt the experience setting up equipment and concentrating on exposure and all of the other procedures involved in capturing an image on film. 

This experience occurred in the middle of winter after 2 days of rain in the chaparral of La Canada.  The oak forest was pristine and the air unusually crisp and clear.  Just outstanding.   Actually, if there was a subject that I wanted to capture on film, I don't think I could duplicate the experience.  Instead, I was content to enjoy the hike and never regretted not taking a single exposure. This does not happen very often since I am naturally very production oriented. (12/22/02)

The Photo Experience means different things to different people.  For the non photographer, It may be as simple as taking pictures of family, processing the film at the local mini lab, and enjoying the satisfaction of having captured their likeness on film to treasure indefinitely. 

For the amateur photographer, it may mean the process of taking a technically correct photograph of a sunset with a sophisticated SLR and the anticipation of viewing the image for the first time after processing at a custom photo lab.  Lately, an increasing amount of post processing is being performed on the home computer with some really great photo enhancing programs.

For the professional photojournalist, it may mean risking one's life to capture images of the human condition in less known areas of the world.  Their images often become the most meaningful images of mankind and blurs the distinction between a photo experience and a life style.

Finally, photography, in its purist form, is an art whose purpose is to identify and communicate a feeling or experience.  There is no better experience than capturing the impossible image on film or creating an image with a unique point of view.

The photographic experience can be expanded to include the entire photographic process starting with the planning and preparing a photographic excursion, processing the film, scanning the film, manipulating the digital image, and finally printing the image. 

Photography is the excitement of capturing a moment in time or a slice of beauty.