Does Persistence Really Pay Off?

Fresh Snow coats the Flatirons of Boulder, Colorado
Persistence can be a gift and a curse. Most photographers probably have a little bit of 'OCD' in their bloodlines. How often do you visit a given location to create and image worthy of your portfolio?. I've visited this location many times over the last few years, waiting for all the elements to come together. Finally, my persistence paid off and I managed to capture the Flatirons of Boulder coated with fresh snow as the storm cleared the Front Range of Colorado. Technicial Details: Canon EOS 1Ds III, 24mm TS-E F3.5 II w 1.4 TC
Persistence can be both a virtue and a detriment to photography. How many times do you attempt to photograph a given location to create an image that represents your vision?. What constitutes as a good enough image to move on to another subject?. Can you create such a thing as a final statement image at a given location, such that you are not likely ever to capture a better image of the subject your in pursuit of?.

Contrast this with the possibility that over saturating a given location or subject may be stifling your creativity, or even worse causing you to miss out on better opportunities elsewhere. Is your persistence causing you to become shortsighted and curbing your overall creative opportunities? These are certainly questions that run through my head each time I set out to create new images.

In general, I view persistence as a positive aspect with regards to my photography. There are certainly times when obsessing over a given location hampers my ability to expand my portfolio and explore and photograph new locations.

Contrary to how many clients and non-photographers view my work, time in the field is not typically spent wandering aimlessly around with my camera hanging around my neck hoping that serendipity strikes and I create an image worth sharing.

While on occasion I may create images in this manner, most of the locations in my portfolio have been visited on numerous occasions, at varying times and seasons in an attempt to create an image that I think best represents the subject matter.

Many times I’ve visited a given location hundreds of times over many years before I create an image that I’m pleased with. While some of my fellow photographers may be more proficient at creating images, I believe locations must be visited and photographed numerous times for one to be successful. I’m curious to know what approach others take when visiting locations.