Every now and again, something happens in front of you that stops you in your tracks. The light shifts. The weather collides. The landscape transforms into something you have never seen before and may never see again.
These moments are rare. They are unpredictable. And they do not wait.
The mistake many photographers make is assuming that when a once-in-a-lifetime scene appears, the photograph will take care of itself. It will not. Emotion alone does not guarantee a strong image. In fact, those moments can overwhelm you. You can hesitate. You can panic. You can miss it.
That is why the work happens long before the magic.
Practicing composition on ordinary days. Understanding your lenses instinctively. Knowing when to zoom in and isolate detail, and when to go wide and include context. Being comfortable with manual exposure. Locking focus without thinking. Recognising when to block flare, when to bracket, when to wait.
When something extraordinary unfolds, there is no time to experiment. You fall back on what you already know.
Technical skill gives you control. Artistic judgement gives you clarity. Together, they allow you to respond rather than react. It is often the small refinements that elevate a dramatic scene into a powerful photograph.
The goal is not to chase rare events endlessly. It is to be ready for them.
Put in the hours. Practice in average conditions. Learn your craft. Refine your eye. Then, when the extraordinary appears without warning, you will be ready to nail the moment and capture a banger to remember.
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