Pre-Visualizing the Perfect Photo
Often when I’m out in the field with my camera, I see the perfect shot…..a scene with shimmering light, balanced and beautiful. The only thing missing is the bird.
My imagination starts rolling over a wide variety of picture perfect scenarios, I swap out different ideas. Creativity is sparked. Time flies. Visions are embossed in the back of my mind, and I move on, always hoping, always measuring those visions against the images I actually shoot.
Am I day dreaming, or is this a mental exercise heavily mixed with hope and inspiration? (No doubt some of these visions are just improbable scenarios.)
And Then It Happens
I pass by a graceful field of flowers, a golden sunrise low in the sky, mist droplets shimmering on the leaves. A male Indigo Bunting in glorious plumage swoops in, perches low within the flowers, but still in full view. I fire off a burst, and then he’s gone.
One of those shots was perfectly lovely. For once I had an image that matched my vision.
Indigo Bunting.
ISO800; f/8; 1/1000 Second
Acting Out Your Dream
Start pre-visualizing your ideal photo. (NOTE: This is not the same as arriving on site with an open mind.) When your dream bird suddenly arrives in the perfect place at the perfect time to act out your vision, be ready with all your best equipment and a steady hand.
You will know when you’ve got it. Doesn’t matter if anyone else likes it or even knows. In the meantime, stay open to all the dreamy possibilities your mind may have to offer.
To read more about Indigo Buntings, visit this post.