Frans Lanting/previsualization

[hmphoto <hmphoto@delphi.com>]

I just came from a slide showing by Frans Lanting on his new book "Eye to 
Eye Intimate encounters with he animal world".  After his show someone 
asked about how he chooses from the many rolls of film the shoots while 
on assignment and his response surprised many in the audience.  He said 
that even when on assignment for Geographic, who supplies all of his film 
he shoots no more than 6 rolls a day.  Very selective in what he shoots.  
He said he did not like to look at bad photos and looking at his own bad 
photos depressed him so he shot fewer photos waiting for the right 
moments.

He also said that he will think about what he is wanting to get on a 
shoot sometimes to the extent that he has drawn out a diagram of the 
shot. This amount of pre-thought is what makes his photos so impactful, I 
think.  I have always thought it is a good idea to picture what you are 
wanting to get while on an assignment before you even pick up the camera. 
 This way you can have some idea of what to be looking for and when 
something close happens you are ready for it.  Also by being prepared you 
are leaving yourself open and ready for more and possibly better 
situations because you aren't just shooting blind.  IMHO it is better to 
have thought out your assignment and be prepared for it than to show up 
and shoot it shotgun style, shooting any thing that happens in front of 
your camera.  Please note I am not saying go into a situation and stage 
direct it and be so focused on what you have previsualized that you are 
blind to everything else.  But if you have thought out possible images in 
the situation you are going into you will be more confident and better 
able to function comfortably.  I think this applies to every kind of 
photography.  If you shoot scenics and are constantly looking at vistas 
and thinking if only such and such were going on there you will 
eventually begin to see things of interest happening in places where you 
never saw them before, simply because you are actively looking for them 
and not passively waiting to see them.  This is what I mean by 
previsualition being able to help you achieve your desired results.

Harrison McClary
http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto