There is advice aplenty on the internet so I have tried to be a little bit 'outside the box' with this and would like to offer some advice which has absolutely helped me in the past, and still does.
Look Behind You:
This isn’t a pantomime or some warning of an on-coming threat but painfully simple and worth while advice. It could perhaps be broadened to ‘look around you’. If you are either walking through wonderful scenery or heading towards a very specific ‘target’ always take time to look around you and in particular look behind you. It is all too easy to become blinkered and see only that which is in front of you. If you think about it, you’re missing out on half the view!
One image on this site was taken from a car park! i had finished for the day, it was dark. Having walked back to my car i started to put everything in the boot and only then looked up. With something of a sigh I got everything out again and took what I thought was a worthwhile picture.
Spare Shots:
Always leave spare shots in your camera (Lord Lichfield used to do this). Some great photo opportunities can be missed walking back to the car or packing up thinking ‘job done! Time to go’. With portrait or wedding photography people have a tendency to relax when they think the photographs are finished and some of the best shots are taken under these circumstances.
Shoot Less!:
I love the irony of this one but hear me out.
With todays digital cameras it is so easy to just keep clicking away (perhaps changing a few settings between each shot) and rely on the law of averages to tell you that at least one shot must be okay, right?. This method requires little thinking and there in lies the problem. Try this instead...
Limit yourself to just 6 shots for any given subject (including changes in composition) and no more. This will have the affect of focusing your mind while at the same time forcing you to take your time. If you know you only have 6 attempts you will spend time thinking about composition, exposure, lighting and all the other technicalities you should be thinking about.
Research Your Location:
Just before you operate the shutter on your camera for a particular image, 90% of the hard work should already have been completed. For landscape photography, a very large part of the 90% is researching your location.
If you have a particular ‘target’ or destination in mind it’s worth doing a little research beforehand; Ordinance Survey maps are great for this. First and foremost you’ll need to know how to get there and not waste valuable time getting lost. This I’ve done before, particularly in the mornings. Driving around unfamiliar territory in the dark, getting lost, and trying to read a map. Meanwhile the sun is rising the mist is burning off and I’m beginning to wish I’d stayed in bed! You may also want to check on where the sun is due to rise / set in relation to the pictures you want to take. A study of the area might also suggest a better view or vantage point. Having said all this it is important to be flexible but not to the point where you’re so busy wandering off you don’t actually reach to your original destination. I find it best to be a little disciplined; stick to the original plan, get the shots and then investigate other areas.
Speak To People:
Sometimes people’s imaginations can run wild when they see someone photographing unconventional subjects; derelict buildings, burnt out cars etc. An element of suspicion or even paranoia can creep in. Some time ago I was accused of being from the environment agency (what did that person have to hide!). I was confident I didn't need to ask permission and I wasn't trespassing. I didn’t know at the time who this person was but in hindsight a polite chat would have allayed all fears. On the whole the general public are great but it ALWAYS pays to simply explain who you are and what you are doing.
Always seek permission even if you don’t actually need it. I have not been refused yet; people just like to know what’s going on.
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