The hairs on the back of your neck are bristling, your pulse is racing, your senses in overdrive. You’ve finally found a great subject. Your breathing quickens with excitement. You move to press the shutter release and…
Stop! Your heart’s telling you to shoot, but what about your head? With many years in the field, we’ve learned to put a quick check on ourselves in the seconds before committing to a capture. Pressing pause rather than the shutter release. That slim window often makes all the difference between a decent image and a great one.
We like to re-evaluate for a split second, running through a quick mental checklist to help maximise photographic potential and minimise mistakes in the heat of the moment. We do this most times we photograph – except, of course, for action shots when a speedy response is paramount.
It might seem counter-intuitive to slow down when faced with a subject that might bolt any minute, but that small intake of breath, pays dividends. Harbouring a few ‘second thoughts’ soon becomes second nature - almost as instantaneous as your initial, quickfire, reaction.
We find questioning what we’re doing is particularly helpful in teasing out a more personal take. It certainly
