Take a Cue From Movies

Watch Movies talks about the similarity in shooting a major Hollywood Production and shooting a wedding. The following quote sums it up quite nicely (though the rest of the article is well worth reading):

"Some people think that one of the most important differences between good professional photographers and good amateurs is that the pros have a picture in mind before they take one and get it because they know how to; the amateurs get a shot more by accident."

I guess this makes me an amateur, but it seems only a matter of time before a good amateur begins to see the good shots and allows for planning of them. Likewise, like any artistic medium, it takes a while to truely master it. Professionals are professionals because they are able to create the shots they want by looking to previous shots they've taken and combining the experiences from them. They understand that blurring occurs with slow shutter speeds not because of theory, but because they've taken shots of hummingbirds with a shutter speed that was just a bit too slow. They've learned from their previous photography and because of this they can see new images. Want to get paid to take photos? Become a master by learning everything you can and by practicing. Shoot everyday, even if it's in your living room and study your results.

For the record, I'm not a professional. I haven't developed all of the skills it takes to become a professional, and without true dedication to photography, I may never become a professional. I do hope to some day become the step just below professional--the step where I make images like described in the quote above.