Luck In Photography: Is It A Factor?

Have you ever had a photo that was just taken at the spur of the moment?
What about one that’s taken without even looking through the viewfinder or LCD?
Are some of your favorite photos in your collection the ones you did NOT envision when you first set out to shoot?
Have you ever made all kinds of preparations for a photoshoot, only to realize later that the shots you liked best are the ones you did NOT prepare for?
Did some of your best shots work just because everything fell into place, ie. the natural sunlight, the weather, the clouds, a person appearing at the right time, a cursory unexpected glance, etc.?
Would you ever consider any of your best shots a ‘lucky’ shot?

Did you answer ‘Yes’ to one or more of the above questions? If you did, you might see where I am going with this, but nevertheless do read on to find out.

Back in an earlier post on gear lust, I defined a formula for defining a good image:

Good Image = 20% Camera Body + 30% Camera Lenses & Accessories + 40% Technique/Skill/Composition + 20% Post Processing Ability

What I did not add to that formula was the element of luck. And in my humble opinion, luck has a weight as high as technique/skill/composition.

So, how does luck play a role in photography? Ask any photographer, and chances are that some of their favorite or even most famed and loved shots may have been somewhat accidental, and not at all planned. Yes, amazing photographs are created sometimes from nothing at all. It could be a chance encounter, it could be a shot from the hip, it could be a shot with the wrong lens on, it could have been the 5 minutes that you waited AFTER your official shoot ended. In most cases, it could just be a case of being at the right place at the right time.

Like it or not, luck plays a significant role in photography. Here are some personal examples I can present. The shot at the top of this post, was taken after I had shot at least a dozen shots of just the landscape. It was taken in Queenstown in one of the nearby parks, on the first day of my arrival there, and I was more or less done trying to coax out of my camera some shots of the bushes against the majestic mountains, ie. the classical landscape. I was already ready to start my walk back to the town when suddenly a family of joggers ran past. And it clicked. I turned around, took a deep breath, composed the shot, and snapped. Completely unplanned prior to the moment, and it worked.

Now another example, this one on the top Mount Eden in Auckland. There I was with my tripod, taking in the amazing colors of the sunset, taking multiple exposures in order to try and get a HDR (High Dynamic Range) image via software later. And so after taking what must have been dozens of photos of the same sunset against different views around the peak, I packed up my tripod, and started to walk back to the car. As chance should have it, I spotted a very nice motorcycle parked on my way back, and I just happened to turn my head. And there it was, the biker himself, staring out into the sunset, completely in his own thoughts. I dropped my tripod on the grass, quickly composed the shot, took ONE shot, and this was it.

To me, this will be the classic case of the unplanned leading to a memorable shot. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was one of my very first photography outings at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. I had just walked about the park shooting all kinds of birds and even chicks (the real kind, mind you) for hours, and was pretty much poofed, so I had headed for the exit. I had my camera bag with me, so I paused just before the exit, and started keeping my camera into my bag. And without any warning, this peacock unveiled its majestic tail in all its glory. I knew at that very moment, I had to take this photo. I had no time to change lenses, so I used the lens I had on the camera; a humble 50mm f/1.8. Did not even change any settings, and quickly shot 1-2 frames. And just like that, the peacock shut its tail. The moment had passed. But I had the shot.

I think at this point in time, there will be some gasps escaping from the lips of some new budding photographers, and perhaps some sighs in the rest of the knowledgeable photographic community.

You mean to say that photography is about luck? What about all the hullabaloo about skill and gear and composition and experience and all the other jazz? So, we might as well all be photographers, and just take photos with a simple camera phone…

Now hold it right there. I only said luck is a factor. But it really only is ONE factor. Now consider this: just because a moment happens, doesn’t mean you are able to photograph it, unless…

1. You have A camera with you
2. You are able to pick up the camera, aim, and COMPOSE the shot
3. You are able to use your camera in a very, very quick manner without fumbling through the controls

The bottom line is, you MUST know what you are doing. You must have the skill of composition, the technique to pull off the shot, and also have the right focal length for the lucky shot.

There is a saying that goes, luck favors the prepared. And this could not be any more true that it is for photography.

If I did not have my camera with me during one of the above moments, I’d never have gotten any of these images. If I did not know how to compose the shot, let alone use my camera like the back of my hand, I’d never have been able to give it the impact it gives today or capture the moment as it unfolded in front of my very eyes. If I knew nothing about post-processing, I’d never have been able to enhance the shot to bring out the moment as I saw it. And in the words of David DuChemin, if not for the VISION that I had acquired over thousands of exposures, I’d never have been able to translate the moment into the shot anyway.

A good photograph is a lot of things. Luck is only one factor. And if anything, the real talent about the skilled photographer, is CONSISTENCY. Like it or not, luck will only result in one hit wonders. But skill will ensure you are able to capture the moment again, and again, and again… as and when it happens.

So, here’s my message: Train that vision, learn how the camera works, and be prepared. Because as I’ve already said, luck favors the prepared.