When you work hard to get the best shots possible for your pictures, there are a few things you come to realize are true. It isn't just for a snapchat, you strive to make art. In doing so it means taking risks and sometimes looking like a fool.

1. If you aren't squatting you aren't trying

My friends all laugh at me when I say this, but honestly it's so true in some ways. You don't necessarily have to squatting, bending, crouching, or leaning will all apply. You come to realize that standing straight almost never results in the best possible picture. You will do anything for that shot, including sit down in the middle of the street. I have found myself in a full on crouch in the middle of the road in Paris at midnight, so anything is possible.

2. It's worth waiting for the right shot

I can't tell you how many times I have stopped to wait for a person/ bird/ or piece of trash to get out of the frame. I will move to elongate these random photo bombers at all costs even taking matters into my own hands like with number one or even waiting a ridiculous amount of time for people to move. My personal best for time waited was 20 minutes.

3. Multiple shots are your best friend

When it comes to capturing the world around you, it can be hard to get things right on the first try. There is no shame in taking a couple of pictures that look seemingly the same. If it's people in the picture, someone will surely have their eyes closed in one of them. I take my shots at several exposures in rapid fire to make sure I won't be sad when it comes time to edit.

4. Photoshop does not mean it's fake

Sure there is the complete photoshop reconstruction you see with many magazine covers, but most touch ups are just that, touch ups. I tend to enhance colors and crop more than anything else. It can be really irritating when people try to tell you photoshop is bad, on the whole it enhances the beauty you already captured. Being fake is pretty obvious, and sometimes imperfections can be beautiful.

5. "If I had a nice camera my pictures could look like that."

Nothing bothers me more that when someone tells me they too could get great shots if only they had a nice camera. It wasn't the camera that found the location, chose the angles and made this picture what it was. It pretty offensive to people who work hard for their work to hear that the camera is why it looks good. Sure the right equipment is important but dropping thousands on a lens won't make the picture perfect. There is so much more to photography than the gear

6. Anything can be beautiful

The obvious things are what lots of people take pictures of. They do make great shots, but some of the more memorable ones are of the things you happened to find. It can be ice on a leaf or a shell in the sand. It does not have to be the obvious beach or waterfall. I find that going out and wanting to take pictures help me to appreciate the small details a lot more than I otherwise would.

Overall, photography isn't just snapping a picture, its often a game of contortion and creative locations. But I still love it!