DON'T SHOOT FIRST AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER
a considered approach to digital capture
The outlet at Laguna Esmeralda, Argentina.
The transition from film to digital capture is complete for most photographers and many dSLR users today haven’t ever used film to capture an image. Though now an accepted, mature medium, digital photography has a few inherent potential flaws, not necessarily as a fault of the digital process but instead as a result of sloppy technique or “digital laziness” on the part of the photographer. These potential flaws are what I wish to try and address and are in relation to photography as fine art, as distinct from photojournalism, commercial, fashion or sports photography etc., which of course, are also arts in their own right. Consequently much of my approach will differ to some degree to that required for those disciplines but perhaps still relevant to most “general” photography outside of them.
One big change with the advent of digital cameras has been the reliance on and fascination with “chimping” or previewing images on the camera’s LCD screen, whether to review the image or to check for blown highlights and/or assessing the histogram etc., and while being an invaluable tool for checking exposure values and even critical focus on odd occasions, a preoccupation with checking the image after the fact leads to a less considered approach prior to firing the shutter. Freedom from the constraints of film purchase and processing allows much more leeway to explore creative potential within a given situation but can also lead to snapping away thinking (or not) that something will come out OK and anything that isn’t can just be deleted. Apart from being a mentally undisciplined way to take photographs that leaves it all to luck, the probable outcome of this method is likely to be very few keepers and disillusionment for the photographer, as well as needing to recharge the battery a lot more regularly! Going to the opposite extreme where the compositional and technical aspects are fretted over even while the light is changing or the subject is disappearing doesn’t work either. What we’re after is the middle road (Zen and the Art of Photography) where visual intuition is combined with learned and practiced technical competency in a process of pre-visualization. This is much more likely to give a high percentage of successfully imagined results.
Isla del Luna from Isla del Sol, Bolivia
Digital photography is an evolution or progression from film-based photography and most of the lessons learned before digital capture existed can be applied successfully to this new medium. I find that the habits I developed over almost twenty years of using film have not changed all that much with the switch to digital. I still take first impression photographs - I often find such spontaneous shots have the best creative balance and composition - but you can still take your time with a digital camera, to survey the scene if possible, to work out the best angle with the most appropriate lens that you have and then to look through the viewfinder to check for composition and other details. Once this process becomes ingrained it doesn’t actually take that long to do and provides a solid base for when time is limited and decisions can’t be slow if the 'moment' is to be captured.
For a high percentage of photographs, multi-pattern type metering in the majority of dSLRs is so good as to make the need to check for exposure accuracy less necessary than ever before, especially when you get to know the accuracy and lighting equation for your cameras sensor and meter, and just like when taking a photograph on film, if the light is difficult then bracketing is quick, easy and at least with digital, at no extra cost. But understanding the finer points of exposure and how highlights and shadows relate to each other will help in difficult situations. The use of a tripod is a perfect “grounding” device for these situations, allowing identical composition for bracketing, slowing down the process of framing and forcing the photographer to step back a bit and assess the situation before taking the photograph.
Volcan Sajama and clouds, Chile
The concept of before is definitely a theme here. If you’re busy studying the histogram then you may be missing something (that fleeting instant) in the context of the location. Get to know your equipment and its limitations (which all equipment has in one form or another) but do not be constrained by those limitations. If you’re aware of the quirks and characteristics of your specific camera you won’t then need to be constantly checking to see if the photograph has been correctly exposed and can focus more on the creative process. With the inclusion now of EXIF data within digital photographic files it is much easier to learn from mistakes when all the relevant exposure information is there to study in association with the fact of an unsatisfactorily executed photograph but knowing after the fact doesn’t make up for the disappointment of an image that doesn’t reflect one’s inner vision at the time.
If a location can be easily revisited then the possibility of going back under more favorable conditions, such as better lighting or wildflower season for example, can be an important factor when assessing photographic potential for a site or subject when it is accessible. This isn't always possible when traveling further from home base so planning your arrival time, at least within your existing knowledge of the site, is the safest strategy. Being flexible enough under these type of circumstances to prioritize a good location though, will more likely net better results. Revisiting an easily accessible location may also be necessary after having reviewed less than ideal results on a full sized monitor which couldn’t be determined on a 3 inch LCD on the back of the camera at the time of capture - once again careful consideration before the fact can help minimize such situations, but not eliminate them entirely.
Kitty-cat, Chillagoe, QLD, Australia
So unless you are presented with a critical situation with little time to react and catch the moment, stop and take stock of the lay of the land before pressing that shutter.