The Problem With Shooting Everything

It’s easy to spend a day photographing everything that might make a good shot. By the end, you might have a handful of images you’re happy with. But here’s the question: did you intentionally create those photos, or did you get lucky?

There’s nothing wrong with experimenting and shooting all that catches your attention. In fact, shooting this way can occasionally teach you what works and what doesn’t. But if it becomes your default approach, you’re relying on chance instead of building your eye. Over time, this won’t help you grow or improve as a photographer.

Using Each Shoot as a Lesson

Even the days when nothing seems to work (and there will be plenty) are valuable because they help sharpen your skills, deepen your understanding, and train your photographer’s eye. The goal isn’t to come back with hundreds of images, but to slowly narrow your focus and improve how you see the environments and subjects around you.

What Shooting Intentionally Looks Like

So what does it mean to shoot with intention? It’s about slowing down and using your knowledge to scope out the photos before even pressing the shutter. Knowing what you want to create and not letting luck decide.

There are many things to look for outside of pressing your shutter or adjusting camera settings, such as;

Studying the light, where it falls, how it changes. Is it sunny or overcast? Harsh or soft?.
Watching how people or subjects interact with their surroundings. And the lighting present.
Asking: Does this composition work? Should I reframe? Is this the right angle or perspective?.
Could a different focal length improve what I am trying to create.

Understanding these things around you means you are actively choosing what you want to create with what is there in front of you, and over time, this becomes a very fast process, allowing more and more images to unfold in front of you that most might not see, and that a lucky “spray and pray” would not capture.

Knowing your why.

Ask yourself: What am I trying to capture here? What is this for? Who is it for?
These simple questions help define what images you are looking to capture.

Your why doesn’t always have to be about storytelling; it can also be technical. Maybe there’s a specific skill or technique you want to practice. That intention alone can guide how you approach a shoot.

It can also extend into your post-processing vision. If you already have an idea of how you’ll edit, whether it’s a certain mood, colour palette, or overall look, then your choices in the field (composition, exposure, lens, and gear selection) will get you that step closer to the outcome before you even import any photos for editing.

Quality Over Quantity

Walking away with fewer photos but a higher percentage of keepers is far more rewarding than scrolling through hundreds of near-misses. Of course, this takes practice, technical knowledge, and confidence with your camera. But that’s the process: slowing down, learning, refining.

Intentional Photography brings us into the moment.

Being intentional also brings you closer to your surroundings. Instead of rushing for the next shot, you start to notice the details; the play of shadows on a wall, the energy of a street corner, the way a subject reacts to changing light.

Travel and street photography especially benefit from this mindset. Yes, these genres are unpredictable, but that’s what makes patience and observation so valuable. Intentionality allows you to see beyond the obvious and capture moments others overlook.

Many people worry that photography may take them away from the moment and experience of a trip, but i dont see it that way, as stated above, this brings you into the present moment, notice things you are likely to otherwise overlook, and if you get that 1 image you intended, you are likely to ingrain that moment into your memory even without revisiting the photo. Taking that time to explore that moment, and then pressing that shutter to capture it as perceived by you, is extremely rewarding, and memorable.

The Days When Nothing Works.

It’s frustrating to import your photos only to realise that none of them turned out the way you hoped. But you got outside, stayed active, and remained consistent in practising your craft. Even without a “keeper,” you’ve improved, especially in how you observed and responded to your environment.

Maybe a year ago, those same images would have felt “good enough” to you. Back then, on a day of shooting everything, you might have been satisfied with a few lucky results. But now, as your understanding improves, you’re more selective. You’re more critical. And that’s actually progress.

Holding yourself and your photography to a higher standard is another form of growth.

Shooting with intention - slow down and capture better images.