The right place at the right time – we’ve all heard that saying.

Does that apply to photography?

It can certainly apply if you are trying to capture a specific event, that only happens at a specific time. Example: A solar eclipse over a city skyline. You have to prepare, plan your shot location and be at that location at a specific time to capture a photo.

Otherwise, I would argue that if you are open to seeing what is going on around you in the present, you are in the right place, at the right time. Here is an example:

I planned a camping trip in mid-May a few years back to Yosemite Valley. The purpose was to capture photos of dogwood trees during the spring bloom. A storm moved in overnight, temps dropped significantly and it snowed in the valley. I grabbed my gear, stowed my tent, and walked around the valley to put myself in the right place at the right time.

I walked into this scene below. It looks like a black and white conversion but it’s not. The light was flat because of the valley fog and recent snow. You can see hints of color in the trees.

Here is a photo from the same location just a few hours later in the day. The day had heated up, the fog had lifted and the snow had melted.

What a difference a few hours makes. I personally love the first photo because of the dreamy, monochromatic feeling. The second photo works as well because some of that dreamy feeling is in the valley walls and contrasts against the vivid green grass.

My point is, neither photo is of blooming dogwood trees, the reason for my trip. However, I was open to what was happening around me and able to capture some other great images.

Be open, get out and shoot some photos 🙂