I used to believe that I should make every shot count, that I should have a higher ratio of keepers when I get back from a shooting.

Farther in my photography journey, I see now how I was limiting myself. Limitations can be good for creativity, but this one was just holding me back.

I realize now that this a process that involves many steps, every one of them as important as the previous one. I used to think all that mattered was the moment I pressed the shutter, everything had to happen then and there. Boy, was I wrong.

Today, I shoot a lot. I probably take 150 to 200 photos a day when I’m traveling, sometimes even more. Very, very few are good enough to make it through my process.

This change in mindset has made me a better and more aware photographer: if I’m waiting for the perfect moment to get my camera out and shoot, I tend to become distracted and disengage from the environment; if I’m constantly shooting, I’m focused, I’m working, I’m in the zone, if you will. This is why I take the first photo early on.

Yes, going through hundreds of photos to select just a few takes time and effort. But it’s supposed to! It’s not something I want to avoid anymore, but embrace.