Planned vs Spontaneous Photography – Which Is Best?

One of the great debates in photography (right up there with “JPEG vs RAW” and “Do I really need another lens?”) is this:

Do you go out and take photographs as they happen… or do you plan every shot in advance?

Having spent many hours with a camera—on boats, in fields, at events, and occasionally wondering why I brought three lenses and used only one—I can safely say…

Both approaches are right. And both can go very wrong.

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The Planned Photographer

This is the photographer who:

• Knows where they’re going
• Knows what they want
• Checks the weather, sun position, and tide tables (very important on the Thames!)
• Turns up at exactly the right time

Typical examples:

• Landscape photography at sunrise/sunset
• Milky Way or astrophotography
• Time-lapse work
• Carefully staged portraits

Advantages

• You get technically better images
• Lighting is controlled (or at least predicted!)
• Less luck required

Disadvantages

• You can miss unexpected moments
• Weather has a habit of ignoring your plans
• Can become a bit… clinical

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The “See What Happens” Photographer

This is much more my style when out sailing or wandering about with a camera.

You:

• Take the camera everywhere
• React to what’s in front of you
• Capture moments as they unfold

Typical examples:

• Street photography
• Action shots on a boat
• Wildlife (when it suddenly appears and disappears again!)
• Family and travel photography

Advantages

• You capture genuine, unrepeatable moments
• More creative and spontaneous
• Often more interesting images

Disadvantages

• You miss shots because you weren’t ready
• Lighting can be terrible
• Results can be inconsistent

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A Real Example (From the River Thames)

When I go sailing, I never quite know what I’ll get:

• A perfect gybe with spray flying everywhere
• Someone falling in (always entertaining… from a safe distance!)
• Beautiful reflections at sunset

If I tried to plan those shots, I’d miss them.

But equally…

If I don’t think ahead about:

• Camera placement
• Waterproofing
• Battery life

Then I miss everything anyway!

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So Which Is Best?

The honest answer: The best photographers do both.

A good approach is:

1. Have a Plan

• Know your location
• Think about light and timing
• Have an idea of the shots you’d like

2. Be Ready to Ignore It

• If something better happens—take it!
• Don’t be so focused on the plan that you miss the moment

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A Simple Rule I Use

“Plan enough to be ready… but not so much that you stop seeing.”