Planned or spontaneous?

[shelly1170]

I'm just curious as to how photographers get their favourite or best (not necessarily the same thing) images. Are they from a planned shoot or in a spontaneous situation?

Unfortunately, living up here there isn't much opportunity for "planned" shoots as it's just not safe to go lurking in alot of places by yourself, especially at sunrise/sunset.

How do you plan for the unexpected opportunities that arise?

[William]

Always have your camera with you, Serious ! Usually they come spontaneously, The planed shoots I do are usually some Sunrises if I'm after something specific, If not the situation arises, Most of the time I'm walking and seeing things as a photo opportunity

[shelly1170]

Thanks William. That's the main reason I went for a Sony Nex-3. Living here, lugging an SLR everywhere is just not safe. The Sony can fit into a bag at a pinch.

My hubby won't be too impressed though...now I'm on the lookout for a new handbag that will hold my camera!

[William]

Thats why a lot of Journalists working in war torn countries dont lug big DSLR's around , A lot use the Canon G10-12 for the same reason, You can just drop it in your pocket

[shelly1170]

G12 was on my list but, with a replacement due out soon, I knew I'd want to upgrade as soon as I got it.

[ricktas]

Dpends on genre. Sunrises, sunsets etc are planned. Candida are often not, street photography is generally not planned.

[kiwi]

I plan where and when to take photos that are then taken spontaneously, does that make sense ?

[Duane Pipe]

Certainly dose Darren

[Speedway]

Another one with Darren.
Keith.

[shelly1170]

Yep, makes sense to me too. I just have to get in the habit of taking the camera with me and maybe leaving the tripod in the car at all times.

[William]

Yep, makes sense to me too. I just have to get in the habit of taking the camera with me and maybe leaving the tripod in the car at all times.

Yep , I never or rarely use a Tripod , Always for long exposure Sunrises, Never for street shots or general shooting

[11TCo]

For photography involving people I prefer spontaneous shots as I find them natural & at their best; anything else I usually think about the shot or plan for it.

[KeeFy]

Most of the time i have a idea of what i want to capture. Sometimes it hits me on the location and i wait. Sometimes it's just there. There is no real recipe.

And the keeper percentages are 80% - 50% - 10% respectively, that are images that i'd like to claim my own. The rest i'll just pass it off as a newbie photographer taking holiday snapshots. :P

[msm1707]

Some of my favourites almost always are spontaneous, capturing a laugh or a facial expression on someone that didn't know I was taking the pic. I love randomness!

[ricktas]

Some of my favourites almost always are spontaneous, capturing a laugh or a facial expression on someone that didn't know I was taking the pic. I love randomness!

Ah, but how spontaneous and random is it, when as the photographer, you made a decision at an earlier time, to take your camera with you, rather than leave it at home. Yes you can capture random and spontaneous facial expressions, landscapes, etc, but ultimately you have pre-planned to both have your camera with you, in the hope of capturing something, and been pre-empting those moments to have your camera up and ready to shoot.

what you are describing is the difference between a set-up studio portrait shot and a photo-journalistic portrait shot. Both have planning involved, it is just the level of, and type of planning and interaction with the subject that is different. Merely by having your camera with you, suggests a plan!

[ricstew]

98% of the time I have some sort of pre thought......I pretty much always have my camera with me. Even when I am driving I will often go ohh looky at the pretty light/view/critter/person/bug/bird........ and then go back and try to get some sort of image from it...( sometimes more than once )........otherwise I go out with a PLAN! Not saying the plan always comes off.....plan A can become plan 42B.....but the intent was there.
cheers
Jan

[Mark L]

........ Merely by having your camera with you, suggests a plan!

I wondered why I haven't got any spontaneous photos.

[Redbaron]

I find whenever practical - take the camera, you never know what mite happen. Funny situations come, you see interesting things on the way - people are unpredictable, photo opportunities everywhere.