Drive-By Photography

Far too often, we equip ourselves to stumble upon a photograph. We get lucky occasionally and that carries us through the next several failed attempts.

For years, my biggest photographic failing was my tendency to commit the crime of drive-by photography. I jumped in the car in search of as many inspiring scenes as possible within a 100-mile radius of the city, as many weekends as possible. 9 times out of 10, I came back disappointed. It was a waste of several prime years.

It wasn’t until I started I started searching for stories, instead of scenes, that the 9 out of 10 decreased to maybe 6 out of 10. I targeted specific places, with a specific angle (story angle, that is).

Failure is still a requirement for growth, but now I judge failure based on the story I bring home, not the technical aspect of the images.

Where would you go today, if your goal was to seek out the most interesting story in your area?