One trap I see many photographers fall into during my workshops is photographing a scene from a literal standpoint. You see an interesting subject, and take a shot that shows the whole subject. But what if the ‘whole subject’ isn’t that interesting, just one part of it stands out. Then photograph that part! Remember, always stay open to your intuition about what attracts you to a scene, and why you are taking the photo in the first place. Look at your subject not as a literal subject, but instead from a graphics standpoint. If the subject has interesting color, then zoom in on that part. If the old car had some gritty texture on the door, then focus on that…not the whole car. Viewers will often get a stronger impression and understanding by tightening up the graphic elements in a scene, not by watering them down and shooting a wide angle shot to capture the entire subject. I just returned from Yosemite, and one afternoon we explored the Mariposa Grove of sequoia trees. My first thought was to photograph as much of the tree as I could. But then I realized what I liked best was the contrast between the sequoia trunks with other trees in the grove…more about texture, color and pattern than showing the whole forest. Follow your graphic intuition, chances are it is the right way to go!