Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

If you believe that, how does this comment help? "But really, you must know yourself enough at this stage of life to know what / where your interests reside."

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I photograph what comes to my eye when an opportunity presents itself. I’ve found that if I go around just looking for stuff to photograph, I’m not very successful. But when something catches my eye, I shoot it. As for other’s photos, I am looking in the gallery to see others’ photos and that gives me ideas on how to photograph different subjects. I pick up on composition and orientations and sometimes pick up on some different ideas and subject matter to maybe try. But if I try too hard, look too much, it generally doesn’t work out well. The Gallery provides some great inspiration at times.

fuminous Loc: Luling, LA... for now...

Some photographers imagine an image then conjure up props and people and light to express that imagination. Yeah, I can’t do that… that is, I don’t do that; I have no foresight; instead I’m a sniper that stumbles upon curious circumstances or conditions then haul out a camera to make the shot; perhaps of a fortunate composition, or colors that please me; interesting light, or a flying dog. Post processing is where the image starts to make sense to me, where potential is realized… that’s where my subconscious begins to manifest and shows me what I was looking at in the first place. So, I don't struggle to shoot... I struggle to appreciate what I've seen...

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Wonderfully expressed. I feel the very same! Sometimes I do have a "theme" in mind, but often even those results are stumbled upon.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

YES.

(The answer is, in all of photography and life, it depends.)

In other words, I do both intentional (planned) and unintentional (reactive) photography. Sometimes I am photographing with a specific purpose such as making a portrait or product image, or covering an interview for a story or documentary. Maybe I'm photographing a process for a training film. Or maybe I decided to go out on a "made up" assignment for myself, such as finding letters of the alphabet in nature (I've never done that, but seen it done, and may do it someday).

Or, perhaps I'm just out and about and see a subject worthy of whipping out the iPhone. I looked out the window a few weeks ago and found daffodils in the back yard, so I had to go investigate. Nothing special is happening here, except the mood:

Springing Out

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MJPerini

There is an old saying, "The Painter Adds, the Photographer subtracts". If you think about that it is a great exercise to get you thinking in the right frame of mind. The painter starts with a blank canvas, the photographer is confronted with a hopelessly busy and always changing visual cacophony.
Some photographers choose to mostly specialize in general topics like 'Nature' or more specific ones like Birds in flight. Following a genuine interest can help. Other photographers are of the mind that pictures are everywhere and Like Jay Maisel suggests "Go out Empty' and 'ready' and let pictures find you.
There is nothing wrong with going out with a specific idea- some great pictures can result. But the more specific your idea, the more of the world you ignore, there is nothing wrong with that approach and great pictures can result. Then there is Basil's approach (above) never stop making pictures and organizing space -camera or not.
That's how you train your eye to see THROUGH the cacophony to the little fleeting miracles that we all encounter each day. Dorothea Lange said that best "A Camera is an instrument to teach people how to see without a Camera"
Looking at pictures by other people also helps. Go to museums, buy books and keep LOOKING.
THE MORE YOU DO IT THE BETTER YOU GET.
One little trick I have used for a long time is this idea of Pictures finding me (rather than vice versa).
Go out, Empty & Ready and let them find you......BUT...set a threshold, do not click for the mundane.
As 'User I.D. said above, "Subjects cannot ask Gently. They should beg loudly or persistently"
You have to be ok with coming back from an outing having never pressed the button. You were out there paying your dues.
Because there ARE pictures everywhere, but the good ones sometimes hide.
Another quote (paraphrase) from Jay Maisel WITH EVERY REALLY GOOD ONE, I'M TERRIFIED I AM GOING TO MISS IT"
I would suggest his book "It's Not about the F/stop"
Another one I use, is going back to the same places , again and again, season after season, year after year always seeking something different or new. This has been very productive for me.
With people, especially those you love, you have to be annoying long enough for them to ignore you. It can take a long time, but is SO worth it. Once the camera disappears, the pictures flow.
Lastly, it has to be important to you. You have to know the technical stuff cold so it becomes second nature and the camera becomes an extension of yourself.
To that end, I do not use a camera strap, I use a hand strap so the camera can dangle at the end of my right hand.
I use a lens I know, compose with my eyes & brain, then at the last moment raise the camera to my eye for a click and back down. This is especially good with people. You want eye contact for as much time as possible. The last thing you want is the subject looking at you fiddling with the camera.
There are lots of ways to see pictures, there is lots of good advice above, and of particular note is that while there may be themes that run through these answers to your question, everyone does it in their own way.
That is where creativity comes from.
Good Luck
I hope this helps a bit

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

If you can't find a way to be successful in photography, find an excuse.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

If I add "Reactive Photographer" to my signature line, will people misunderstand? Had that assignment with my flicker group a few weeks ago, although it was any "object," not just nature.

Thought it kind of silly 'til I spent a few days at it. Then I had fun!

S-Curve by Linda Shorey, on Flickr

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CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

About half of what separates a successful photographer from their peers is PhotoShop. The other half is Lightroom.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

"struggle to come up with what to shoot"??? How???? There is a whole world out there!! I do wildlife and landscapes. There is so much to shoot that I will die long before I can't find something to shoot!! One of my biggest regrets on my death bed (if that's the way it ends) will be that I won't be out shooting tomorrow!!

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Yeah, and the other half is getting off their butt, away from the computer and taking photographs!!

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Define successful!!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Nice 'S.' The painterly effect on that is intriguing.

Reactive photographer might be a head scratcher. It's better to be reactive than radioactive. I like to be proactive (prepared). But some times I react to what I find, as I know you do so well!

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"Where do you find inspiration for your photography?"
Client requests are primarily the only assignments I accept now...
It's all about financial recompense... The thrill of Photography? It's long since gone.
a.k.a. I smile all the way to the Bank, that warm and wonderful feeling...

For enjoyment? Yoga; Progressive Resistance Training and playing classic guitar.
btw the last Genre I actually enjoyed was shooting Women's League Soccer for clients...
The superb Dynamic Motion and Competitive Charisma latent within approaches that of Ballerinas on stage.

My question for you JZA B1 is why did you just join UHH?
The 11 posts you've made in the past several months since joining appear to be subtle propaganda from Vendors of Photographic Kit. Are you here on a mission to incite interest owing to waning activity of "hobbyist photographers" on UHH whose site statistic are in a downward spiral?

Until you actually post YOUR images JZA B1 I will assume the aforementioned is a valid inference.
Also unlike you JZA B1 I don't hide behind an Alias on UHH... I'm publicly accessible via:

Facebook: Thomas Van Dyke
IG: You may see more of my commercial work at @restonstudio on Instagram
And yes even on PhotoVOGUE Thomas Van Dyke.

Below are but a few of my Client Assignments: The smile on these client's faces make all the herculean efforts to create certainly worthwhile.

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A. T.

I think photography is very simple.....photograph what makes you happy and what brings a smile to your face when you look back at your photographs.