Exploring the Balance Between Random and Intentional Photography

I normally take one of two approaches to photography.

Sometimes I go out with no plan; just my camera, a lens or two, and a decision to just photograph whatever catches my eye. That could be an interesting, unusual or particularly striking subject, it could be the way in which light illuminates a building or an alleyway or even a person, or it could be the way in which a pleasing composition suddenly reveals itself to me.

This type of photography is often challenging, surprising and exciting as you don’t know what you’ll end up with, if anything.

The second approach I take is when I photograph with intention. I know where I want to go and why, and what I hope to find there in terms of photo opportunities. This approach can still be frustrating as my expectations might be high, but it does give me a base from which to start.

On some days I will photograph in a familiar location but look more deeply for new images. On some days I will go out with the intention of doing macro photography. On other occasions it will be a visit to a coastal area with a plan in mind for the type of image I want to capture there.

Having a theme in mind, an ongoing project, or a simple topic can also provide the intention I need for my photography. My plan may be based on either location or subject matter but when I go out with intention, I will have a broad idea of the type of images I would like to come home with.

Yet there can't be clear lines of distinction between randomness and intentionality in photography. Often there is crossover, or it is a balance between the two approaches that works best.

I recently put together a set of images where I used a combination of the two approaches. My intention was to produce images based on the title Morning in Vila Real de Santo Antonio. I wanted to showcase mornings in this Portuguese town that I frequently visit. I wanted to show the place, the people, the moments. I wanted to photograph at different locations in the city and at different times of year. Yet, I couldn’t plan what I would see, what each morning would reveal, so I went out each day with no guarantee of what the day would bring, and often the results were random scenes or subjects that I happened to be drawn to.

I have chosen 25 images that I have put together as a photo story, or photo essay, that I hope illustrates the theme.