Nature or nurture

[petermmc]

Its 7.45p.m. in the gong and lightning and thunder are making their presence felt. On its way to Sydney no doubt to reak havic and destruction...makes me think should you go out to take photos with a specific theme (focus if you will) in mind or should you just let it happen?

I spend my work life working with people to develop objectives or outcomes for their work so they don't just drift. Should this apply to photography?

If it does, then it would suggest, instead of taking the whole kit and kaboodle (not sure how to spell that last one...not quite sure what one is...if you have one send a photo), one should take one lens and have a fixed mission.

What do you think? Nature (let it happen) or Nurture (focus on the outcome before the event)

Peter Mc
(in the interest of merging philosophy with photograhy)

[avkomp]

I think you have posed a question without a definitive answer.

It will depend on the situation, for example:

suppose I decide that I wish to photograph birds, I will decide where I wish to go and know that I will need the long lens plus flash tripod etc.
I would know in advance that landscape opportunities wouldnt be available and possibly not have a wide angle lens with me. If I did see something that needed a wide angle maybe I would plan to go back.
I would want to be focussed on the task at hand, ie getting bird shots and not bother with anything else.

Now, suppose that I wish to go for a bush walk, I would take a range of lenses because I may encounter a situation which would need the either the zoom or the tele. This walk would have no preset objectives and would wish to be prepared for anything. Typically I have the long lens fitted in case of a wildlife encounter, I want to be able to get a shot of the wildlife before it runs off. If I see something that would need the wider field of view, I figure the landscape wont run off whilst I change lenses.

Hope that ramble explains why I dont think there is a definitive answer to your question.

Steve

[petermmc]

So, you go for nature.

[avkomp]

nurture in example 1. planning for the outcome. take only what is required. not sidetracked.

nature in example 2. be prepared for anything and take a range of equip.

Steve

[mudder]

G'day Peter,
I just end up logging the entire kaboodle in the backpack when-ever I go on a shoot Maybe a sign of simply not being focussed or experienced enough to know what the heck I'm going for, dunno... When-ever I go for a bush-walk for example, I'll take wide-angle for landscape stuff, but I'll also take the 80-400 and close-up filter maybe for some nice wild-flower semi macro stuff too (which means I take the tripod, oh and the flash, oh and the etc. etc... )

[petermmc]

Hi Mudder,

I do the same.

Kaboodle would make a good brand name.

Peter Mc