"I got the shot!" (Patrick Malone's photo blog)

That's what we say -- not always out loud -- when we know we've just pressed the shutter on a really nice image. 

I got the shot!

But how? 

That's what this blog is for. 

How do I think through an image I want to take? What are the compositional features? Where do I find the best camera angles? What time of day, or night?

How do I then execute on the idea? 

It's not so much gear and camera settings. That's a part of it. But the bigger part is the sense of place and story. Not to sound too fancy, but it's the vision. Because what's behind the camera -- i.e., you, the photographer -- decides what the camera sees and records. 

First example: Two shots on a stage, at the Lincoln Memorial. 

(Click on an image below to view an individual blog post. Click here to see all the posts, most recent first.)

More blog posts

Golden Hour and Blue Hour are the two magical times for photography. Each shows up twice a day, right next to each other, but with very different types of light. These blog posts explore Golden Hour and Blue Hour, and how photographers can best work with each.

My post Background First takes the idea of Finding a Stage one step further.

The post Go Low puts us directly onto the ground, where great visuals can be found.

Combo shows what happens when another photographer combines the two ideas behind Go Low and Background First.

The post Reflections teaches that any reflective surface can make for an arresting image. Reflecting pools, to be sure, but also windows, puddles, even car hubcaps.

Moon Over Memorial shows how you can get cool images of the rising or setting moon directly over iconic memorials like the Jefferson Memorial shown here.

Making a Good Photo Better is about finding the right image from a set, and then making subtle edits to bring out the important features.