Go Back, Reshoot, Try Again

Scott Bourne over at Photofocus.com has a short post up about a shooter he met at a workshop. The shooter’s great lament was that he didn’t get a photo he wanted of Mt. Ranier and Bourne points out that he should go again, since it was only a four hour drive for him.

Love this graf, though I disagree with part of it:

Photographers seem to suffer from the notion that because it’s a medium of the moment, they can’t go back. While that’s true at a wedding or other special event, landscape shooters, product shooters, architectural shooters, food shooters and even people making straight portraits can usually get a second, third or fourth try at any photo.

I completely believe we, “suffer from the notion that because it’s a medium of the moment.” But I also know that, in most situations, humans are creatures of habit. If you’re working on a story, maybe there’s only one time one thing will happen exactly in one way. But the opportunities for other moments are nearly endless.

Sure, I have occasionally looked at my take and decried my lack of skill/timing/luck when I realized I didn’t have something I wanted. Life goes on. There’s almost always another opportunity, another way, another moment – go find it.