The Best Photography Tool

There are many different photography tools that can help us get the shot—cameras, lenses, flashes, apps—you name it. However, as I’ve spent more time shooting, I’ve realised that the best tool, the one that has resulted in the most photos, is something I already had long before my first camera.

I’m talking about my gut. We’ve all heard the term “gut feeling”—that sense you have that, in many cases, can save your arse. You might have a bad gut feeling about a particular situation or location. You might have a bad gut feeling about the person you just met or the car you’re thinking of buying. On the flip side, I’m sure you’ve had a good gut feeling to book that flight which led to your best trip ever. You might have had a good gut feeling about saying yes to that date or a night out. I honestly believe that your gut feeling is one of the most important senses you have, and it applies to photography too.

How many times have you walked down the street, seen something that grabs your attention, but instead of taking the shot, you start questioning yourself? Is the composition good? Is the light right? What if that person sees me? What if I don’t have time? What if, what if, what if. By the time you’ve solved your quantum physics puzzle in your head, the moment is gone, and you walk away thinking, Damn, I messed up. This isn’t exclusive to beginners either—it happened to me twice the other day. I can still see the shot in my mind as I write this blog.

Next time you go out to shoot, try to follow your gut feeling more and let the technical side of your brain take a step back. If you see something that catches your eye, don’t overthink it—just take the shot. Don’t dismiss it as too easy, simple, stupid, boring, or cliché. There must be a reason why it caught your attention and why you felt compelled to investigate. Your gut and intuition play a huge role here, so let them guide you. Any time something catches your eye, take the shot and think about it later. You can be analytical when you’re at home reviewing the images, but in the moment, you just need to keep shooting and following your intuition. Shoot now, decide later.

Of course, this approach will result in more photos and more rubbish, but it will also lead to more keepers. It will mean you’re shooting more, failing faster, and getting better. There are certainly times when this approach isn’t ideal, and a slower, more methodical one is preferred, but try this from time to time—you might be surprised by the results.

Last but not least, your gut and intuition are tools that will improve over time. They might be a little sloppy now, but in a few years, they’ll be sharper and guide you to some amazing photos.