I cannot remember when I herd this much loved axiom first, probably some time in the early 80’s, but it is still as relevant today as it was then.
the “F8” bit is of course referring to the catch-all f8 aperture that in full frame will do. It is not perfect for deep landscape images nor shallow depth portrait shots, but it was at the time the sharpest and most logical aperture choice if you were not sure or in a hurry.
Lenses it must be remembered were not the icons of perfection we use now. they had character, which is photographer code for flaws. They were rarely super sharp at wider apertures and diffraction effects the sharpness of all lenses at smaller apertures, so f8 was often the place reviewers tested for the best a lens could offer.
The other bit is timeless.
Photos do not take themselves and no time is the perfect time for an image. The more you take, the luckier you get, simple as that.
Mr hypocrite here, sitting on the couch and blogging this, but it is true. I am improving all the time, adding to my portfolio and getting “luckier” because I am working more.
It is apparently easy to say no, but say yes.
I know from travelling, that waiting for the perfect weather to climb that mountain is a recipe for disaster or worse, apathy. It will never be perfect, but it will always be something. Also, perfection can be fleeting. Even the worst day can produce moments of amazement you could not even have imagined.
This day, as with every other time we have been to Himeji was perfect. This house that we dubbed the “face house” though was found in a back street and the sun in this case was thankfully blocked by other buildings. The poor crop came down to several cars in the foreground, but you get the idea.
That’s right, you had to be there.
If you go out fixated and expecting to get a specific shot to happen as you visualised, you will likely miss other shots that are there for the taking or worse, turn your back on the many other ways the shot could have been taken.
maybe the right way to approach all forms f photography is how we do sport or street photography. You turn up, rain hail or shine and make the most of what you get. The place, people and event are going to do their thing regardless, so you do yours.
When “F8 and be there” was coined, likely the 1940’s when 35mm cameras were first available to the masses as well as early photo journalists and the sentiment makes sense to those shooters, there were few controls or manipulations available so the advice was hopeful, even heroic, but now, even f8 can be stretched.
Be there, do it, see what comes.
The flip side is regret, fear, apathy or worse., so let’s go for gold.