jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Years ago, I took some courses from Lynda.com, and one of them featured a chapter called "Work the Scene." I've always remembered that. Unlike film days, when you had to make the most of every shot, today, we can shoot and shoot and shoot.

The idea behind "Work..." is that one shot is often not enough. I was just taking some pictures around the property outside, and I shot from lots of different angles. Shots that I thought would be good, weren't as good as shots that I took from other angles. Next time you're shooting something, try lots of different angles. You may be surprised at the results.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

And don't forget to look behind you as well.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

I frequently find that the best shot of a scene wasn't my first shot. It should become habit to try several different compositions.

User ID

Lynda.com, per your post, seems useless.

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CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

LOL. Old dogs never learn new tricks. Why pay $$$$ for a digital wonder of the modern world and then use it as it was meant to be used? So many think 'success' is to shoot one frame standing straight up, at eye-level, usually slightly out of focus, just like every other person who ever shot from that spot before. Their images look exactly like everyone else's. Success ....

That sarcasm aside, I still fear the old dogs don't want to learn. Varying the aperture, varying the zoom length, varying the AF point location involves learning how to use your camera. Getting down on a knee, getting down on the ground, even moving 5 steps to the left or right, or better yet: 10 steps closer. Some of these tricks might even involve cracking the manual to learn where those controls reside. Spending 5 minutes instead of 30 seconds, when most of us really have all day free; I don't see it happening. I preach these ideas whenever I can find a soapbox.

A newer 'theme' I've seen is "I don't want to waste time on a computer." Well, too bad, all I hear is "I don't want to succeed. I have an attachment problem and can't delete failed image files." They think a real photographer like Ansel Adams hiked all the way into those mountains, took one perfect shot, and hiked home to glory.

Myself, most times I find that I arrive at just the right time when a thousand images will surely capture something. This strategy is more likely to yield success than just one slightly out of focus frame, shot at eye-level, standing straight up, and moving on. Myself, if I stop to shoot at all, I take as many versions as to justify (find) why I stopped there and raised the camera to begin with.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

That describes my approach. I often spend a hour or more on one scene and take dozens of shots.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Hooray!! At least 3 lonely voices in the void!!

brentrh Loc: Deltona, FL

Learned this years ago when I first shot the Rolex 24 with digital camera freedom to shoot as many as you want. First year took way too many. Refined my shooting and night shots are fantastic gone is guess and hope. Adjust camera shoot more fantastic shots

brentrh Loc: Deltona, FL

With lots of shots I find first impressions of shots failures with later review some are keepers in my excellent files

MJPerini

Work the scene, is good advice. Most Photographers come to it intuitively.
Young newspaper photographers were often told, "Get Something" then work to try to get something better.
When I teach I often say "If something catches your eye, make the picture, but then ask yourself what are the odds that you are in the best possible place, in the best light, at the right height ...etc to make the strongest picture? Then also ask what ELSE is there? Would the light be better at a different time? What if you waited a while to see what else happens.
Most photographers do some variation of this, but it is helpful advice both for people who are learning, and the rest of us to remind ourselves once in a while. So thanks for ringing it up.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

We should probably emphasize that, for new-ish photographers, it's not about the volume, it's about seeing.

During the time we're taking multiple shots, hopefully we're observing the light, shadows, forms, colors, textures, contrasts, angle of view, and nearby elements to add or subtract within the frame. Whatever made us stop and snap might not be fully formed in our creative mind until we've worked the scene for awhile.

In this thread are references to good, best, strongest. Those are relative terms, of course, and opinions may vary. I'm often guilty of the fuzzy concept school, so whether you know immediately or discover by working the scene, deciding what story you are trying to tell is ever-helpful.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Got that right I once looked back and saw my wife!!!

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Good point. I often study the scene for quite a while before I start shooting. "Hopefully we're observing" indeed. The observing is more important than the shooting for me. I just carry a camera so people don't ask me what I am doing down on the ground. Instead, they ask me what I am shooting.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Did you ever think of answering: "You, given a chance."

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

LOL, good plan Mike!