The art of being quick

Sometimes my shots are completely spontaneous, sometimes they are planned out long in advance, and then sometimes there is a something of a mix.

While I was standing in Times Square, I decided that I wanted a picture of the area with a direct view of the traffic in front of me. This is not as easy as it sounds.

To get the shot I wanted, I had to be fast. But how do I get out in the intersection, set the focal point, f-stop, shutter speed and still take the shot all inside of the 30 seconds? If I use the automatic settings, I might get lucky and get the shot. Then again, the camera might decide to focus on the nearest bumper and think that it's time to take a beautiful portrait. There were also hundreds upon hundreds of people at every intersection. When the light changed, I could not simply stand in the crosswalk, set out my tripod and ask everyone to patiently stand aside while I set up my camera.

The solution: Stand on the sidewalk as close to the crosswalk as you can and establish the camera settings before venturing out in the road. Whether it be near or far, set the focal point. After that, test out a few shots at various f-stops and shutter speeds. After you have the camera settings all set, wait for the light and then give it a go.