For years much of my shooting has been incidental. Variously described as "run and gun", "grab and go", and "shoot now, ask later"; the camera was there, I was there, and the subject was there. This half-assed approach to photography has yielded many wonderful photographs and resulted in more than a few sales.
While this style, incidental photography, remains an important part of my repertoire, a sea change occurred in the past few years when I began to get more serious about this part of my artistic output. Now, at least some of the time, I think when I shoot.
This contemplation is not limited to the mechanical and technological aspects of "making" the photography...camera and lighting equipment, settings, post-production in Lightroom and Photoshop...but extends well beyond. I'm thinking about WHY I'm shooting what I'm shooting; why I'm shooting it the way that I am; how I'll catalogue it when it's ready; what I'll do with it (i.e. how I can monetize it); and how I can market it.
As a corollary to the new philosophy (the new ME), I'm thinking about shots I want before I even pick up the camera. I keep a list of shots to take and ideas to explore. I look BEFORE I leap--no longer content to happen upon a scene or event and then record it.
My photography is helping me slow down and think. I photograph--shutter--to think.
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