You may hear many photographers talk about getting “the shot.” Getting “the shot” involves many things: correct exposure, the right subject matter, composition and framing, etc. But the actual key is being at the right place at the right time.
Before I go any further, let me make it clear that I am not a photojournalist — meaning, I do not photograph topical, news-worthy subjects as my job — I am a creative photographer. Being a creative photographer with Adobe-Certified Photoshop skills means “right place, right time” becomes a flexible concept I can bend to my will. When I shoot photography, I try to start with the best image I can get in the camera, applying the correct exposure to the right subject, and being at the right place at the right time.
But in the world of commercial/creative photography, as the Rolling Stones established: *“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes well you might find you get what you need.”*
The image with this post is an excellent example of “right place, right time.” It was near sunset, and I was looking for something special. I approached an area where buffalo sometimes roam. I was in luck — a beautiful sunset and the buffalo were in a nearly ideal location.
What this picture does not show is the stuff that was not right, either then or previously. The times I’d been to that location to find no buffalo. The number of occasions the sunset was less than special. The original exposure, before skillful application of Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop enhancements.
What you do see is the finished image in all its glory, diligently sought until it was finally free from the times there was no buffalo or sunset. The final image is unhindered by areas that were not exposed correctly. Ultimately, what you see is the result of a professional creative photographer.
Of course studio photographers can be creative photographers too. The equation leans further from good/lucky timing and further toward diligent preparation/staging. Same craft, different inputs.
Originally published August 10, 2017. Part of the Ridpath Creative journal — notes on craft, typography, and the work.