The Misconception About the Right Way to Do Photography

Behind the scenes creating the main visuals for Roothouse by Gen at 1926 Heritage Hotel as a hospitality photographer.

After being a full time professional commercial photographer for 7 years focusing mainly on hospitality photoshoots. I realise that there is one major misconception about photography that rather concerns me. For some reason people always think that that there is a correct way to do it — A correct camera setting. A correct lens. A correct lighting setup. A correct composition. A correct editing style. A correct process from beginning to end.

I understand why people look for that. Photography can feel uncertain, especially when the result does not match what we imagined. It is natural to want a clear path. If we can find the right recipe, maybe we can repeat it and always get the result we want. But I honestly do not believe photography works that way. In fact, I would even say there is no exact pathway to every image. Sure, there are techniques, principles, and methods, but they are not the final answer. They are only tools. What matters more is knowing the result you want, then making choices that move you closer to it.

Getting the direction right in making common food look expensive.

The end goal does not always need to be perfectly defined. Sometimes it is a mood. Sometimes it is a feeling. Sometimes it is a sense of light, space, texture, quietness, tension, or honesty. But there has to be some kind of creative direction. Without direction, every choice becomes random and with no proper benchmark, we have no way of knowing what we are delivering matches what was needed? On the other hand, with a set direction, the process becomes meaningful. This is where photography becomes more than following rules. A rule can teach you why something works. A technique can give you control. A method can help you begin. But none of them should become a the only way to do things. If a rule helps the image, use it. If it does not, question it. If a technique brings you closer to the result, keep going. If it pulls the image away from what you want, change direction. That is not failure. That is just part of the experimental process and it's totally okay to fail.

Here I think the experimental process matters because photography is often shaped through understanding the results cumulated from all these small decisions. You try one angle, then another, adjust the light, change the frame, remove something unnecessary, refine and simplify. To a point where the resulting image is quieter, or stronger, or more direct. Each choice is a way of asking: is this closer to what I want? This is why two photographers can photograph the same subject and create very different images. The difference is not only technical skill. It is also intention. Each photographer has their own interpretation of things and is actively choosing what to notice, what to include, what to leave out, and what kind of result they are moving toward. Here is where a photographer's taste becomes extremely crucial especially if they are not working with a creative director.

Should you include or exclude the waiter from this scene?

Perhaps, the “right way” to do photography is not through a fixed formula. Maybe the right way is to be clear about your desired result, and be open enough to enjoy the process of getting there. That process may not be a straightforward one involving lots of uncertainty and in the end you might even realise that the image you first imagined is not the image you should end with. But that is the process of photography, and what makes photography more meaningful with human touch as it is not meant to be perfect. Therefore, instead of asking, “Am I doing this the right way?”, a better question might just be: “Is this bringing me closer to the image I want to make?” If the answer is yes, keep going. If the answer is no, adjust.

That, to me, is a more honest way to approach photography. Not as a search for one perfect method to duplicate, but as a process of moving with intention toward a result that feels right. Photography is not just about reaching the final image but it is also about learning how to see your way there.

Feel free to dive into the video, for those who are interested to take a quick peek into my thought process and see the results from the casual experimentations exploring the streets outside of my usual commercial hospitality work.

And if you fancy getting yourself some highly curated prints for decoration and collection, feel free to visit my print store. You can also write to me if you wish to request any custom prints from my site.