Unlock Your Best Photos: Master the Moment of Inspiration.

Introduction

In this post, I want to share a simple but powerful technique that can dramatically improve your photography, and if you’re willing, that improvement could start today! 

This technique will help you instantly recognize when the scene in front of you has the potential to become a great photograph. It works by cutting out the distractions of the wider field of view, and concentrating your attention exactly where it matters.

And no, it’s not the rule of thirds, or any of those compositional templates you’ve probably seen countless times before. Yeah I know! yawn, yawn….I feel it too! But believe me, this is different.

It’s not the rule of thirds or any of those compositional templates

This technique is something that professional photographers use all the time, but it’s rarely ever taught in detail.

Despite that, it’s incredibly versatile and works for:

• Any subject
• Any type of light
• Any level of experience

The Common Struggles beginner photographers have

…I wonder if you’ve ever struggled with any of the following issues?

• Feeling overwhelmed by everything in the scene
• Struggling to isolate a strong subject
• Being unsure of what to include or exclude from the frame
• Not knowing how to start building a compelling composition

Well, this technique quietly addresses all of these issues. 

In fact, once you start using it, you’ll find your images becoming more personal, more compelling, and more consistent. And that’s often without even being conscious of that fact. 

And that’s because everything will start to become intuitive and almost subconscious.

And that is also how world class photographers work.

One simple ‘rule’, some self belief and discipline, can resolve all of these issues.

Why It Works (And Why It’s Not Taught Often)

This isn’t about arbitrary rules like the rule of thirds.  You just need to be open minded, have a bit of self-belief and apply some discipline. 

Follow these simple techniques and you’ll begin to notice real improvements in your photography—not over months or years, but in just a few days or weeks.

To demonstrate how this technique works in practice, I’m going to show you this Google Street View image. 

somewhere in this wider scene, there are compelling and visually appealing photographs…but how do you find them?

Not long ago, I was standing in the exact spot you can see in the image, and I used this very technique I’m about to teach you, to create a successful photo from a scene that, at first glance, looked as uninspiring as the Google Street View image that you can see.

This Google Street View  gives you a wide-angle impression of the scene, showing almost exactly what I saw when I was there:

Somehow, I need to tap into my intuitive moment.

• It includes what would’ve been my peripheral vision (everything happening at the edges of my field of view).
• And it captures what was in my direct vision (the core of what I was focusing on).

This contrast is essential, because understanding how to navigate between those two modes of seeing is a huge part of what this technique is all about.

————

Identifying Key Elements in a Scene & Overcoming Reliance on Composition Rules

When you’re standing in a location—especially one with a vast, open view—there’s a lot to take in. 

Most scenes offer 360 degrees of photographic possibilities, and each time you move, the potential compositions shift with you. Within all that visual information, your job is to find one thing:

The golden nugget — the one element or combination of elements that truly stands out.

It’s not always obvious, but then again, there will be a compelling photo out there in front of you – somewhere. And I suppose you could say that it’s hiding in plain sight, just waiting for you to notice it.

The Beginner’s Dilemma

Many beginner photographers feel overwhelmed by all the options in front of them. 

In an effort to create order, they lean on well-known compositional rules—like the rule of thirds—without understanding or having the confidence to connect intuitively with the scene in front of them.

There is a bit too much of trying to force the situation.  And when that happens, creativity tends to take a back seat..

This leads to two problems:

• Beginners  second-guess their instincts, thinking that emotion and intuition aren’t enough.
  
• They build compositions that are forced, but lack any personal meaning or emotional power.
  

What You Should Do Instead

The secret is to begin with a gut feeling—a flash of inspiration that something in the scene is speaking to you. I call this:

The Moment of Inspiration.

This moment becomes your foundation for everything that happens next.. 

That moment cuts through the noise, and allows you to lock onto something that is compelling and genuinely visually appealing.  All you have to do is to trust your own reaction and be confident enough to make bold, creative decisions. 

And don’t worry, I’ll define this in more detail in a minute.

Composition rules can be useful in some situations, but when you allow them to take over from your instinct and gut feeling, that’s when your images risk becoming dull and easy to ignore.

Defining the Moment of Inspiration & Trusting Your Instinctive Reaction to a Scene

This moment of inspiration—that gut feeling—isn’t just a helpful little thing. It’s the technique. It’s the rule. It’s everything.  It’s the photograph.

Failure to understand that is what holds back the photography of every beginner.

What Is the Moment of Inspiration?

It’s that split-second reaction when you encounter a scene and something inside you reacts. It may happen when you’re walking, hiking or cycling, or just glancing out the window. 

Then, without warning, there’s a sensation—maybe subtle, maybe strong—that tells you:

“I bet that would make a good photo.”

You might not know exactly what it is yet. But something clicks.

• You pause.
• You look again.
• You feel drawn in.

And all of this happens before you even lift your camera. And that’s the moment to pay attention to. It’s your inner voice saying, “There is something here.”

Why It Matters

This is the spark behind all compelling images. When you let this feeling guide your process, your photographs become personal, authentic, and powerful. It’s not about following a rule—it’s about recognizing an intuitive moment and an emotional connection, and then trusting it.

So from now on, remember this: The moment you feel that gut reaction, that intuitive moment…Well that’s the moment when your next truly compelling and visually appealing photograph begins.

And it will work every time.

——

A Way of Seeing That Every Photographer Shares

That gut feeling—the moment of inspiration—happens to everyone.

I mean everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just someone out for a walk, you’ve felt it. You have. 

And you know what? So has every photographer you’ve ever admired.

The difference lies in what happens next.

The Everyday Reaction

Most people, especially non-photographers, experience that same feeling from time to time. They see something that stops them in their tracks—a ray of light, a splash of color, a certain mood or details in the clouds or a forest path—and instinctively, they do this:

• Raise their phone
• Point it at whatever caught their eye
• Click the shutter without thinking
• And move on.

The result? A photo that records the moment, but doesn’t capture it in the way that their instinct responded to it.

It becomes a snapshot — and you end up saying “well, you really had to be there”

What Makes the Difference?

Then someone like me walks up, sees the same scene, and captures a compelling photo that conveys feeling and makes the viewer look and linger at the photo.

What changed?

The single biggest difference between a forgettable photo and a compelling one is what the photographer does in the moments after that gut feeling strikes.

The magic isn’t in the scene itself—it’s in how you respond to it.

The Photographer’s Response

Here’s what skilled photographers do differently:

• They notice the feeling.
• They lock on to it—really pay attention.
• They don’t let go, even when distractions appear.
• They analyze what triggered that feeling.
• Then they begin composing deliberately, step by step.

It’s all built on trusting your instincts. When you let that moment guide you, decision-making becomes easier. 

You naturally simplify the scene, cut out distractions, and zero in on the most compelling part of the view.

That moment of inspiration is your anchor. Your job is to hold onto it and work from that point, with that intuitive moment remaining the foundation of the image throughout the process of composing it. 

Don’t Waver. Don’t Doubt.

Once you’ve had that feeling—once you’ve connected with something in the scene—you have to believe in that connection. Don’t let outside influences knock you off course.

Ignore any people that you may be with…they can’t see what you’ve just seen.

Once you’re locked in, it’s time to ask yourself a few simple — but powerful — questions to maintain your focus and home in on that shot.

Stick with this process, it will work every single time.

Gradual Integration of the Intuitive Moment into Your Process

The moment of inspiration is, without question, the most important rule, trick, tip, or process in the whole of photography.

It’s the origin of every truly great photograph—the ones that are alive with feeling and personal connection. 

The images you’re most proud of? They likely started with that very same gut reaction.

This Is How the Greats Do It

The most celebrated photographers throughout history didn’t rely on arbitrary compositional rules. Instead, they:

• Worked from instinct. Ansel Adams for example talks about the ‘intuitive moment’
• Responded emotionally to their surroundings.
• Trusted their gut feelings completely.
• Ignored outside opinions at that moment they were inspired

And you should do the same.

When that moment hits—don’t hesitate. Let it guide everything that follows.

Build It Slowly Into Your Process

You don’t need to throw out everything you’ve learned so far. In fact, you shouldn’t.

I’m a believer in evolution, not revolution. So here’s what I recommend:

• Start integrating this intuitive moment into your process gradually.
  
• If you’re already doing something similar, amplify it. Let it take on more importance.
  
• Allow it to influence your decision-making more and more with each photo you take.

The more you practice, the more this moment will become a trusted tool — one you can rely on every time you’re out with your camera.

Conclusion: Your First Step Toward Consistent, Confident Photography

If there’s one idea to take away from this article, it’s this:

Your instinct — your moment of inspiration — is your most powerful photographic tool.

It cuts through the noise, helps prevent overthinking, and leads you straight to the heart of a great image. 

By learning to trust that moment, identify what matters in the scene, and eliminate everything that doesn’t, you’ll start creating images that feel right—every time.

But this is just the beginning.

At the end of the video that goes with this article, I reveal two incredibly simple yet important questions that will keep you on the straight and narrow with your picture-making process.  

Those two questions are easy to remember, actionable straight away, and essential if you want to make this technique second nature.

I encourage you to watch the video now to really get a feel for this technique.

And don’t forget — this is just one part of a four-part mini course. 

Each article has its own video, and together, they offer a complete, practical framework that has the potential to guarantee compositionally correct photos every time you press the shutter.

So, go and watch the video.

Then get outside, apply the technique, and come back for the next article.

Your best photos are already waiting for you to notice them.