As visual people, we can show you better than we can tell you. As you look at these images taken by students during our X-Pedition Hanoi Workshops, think about the circumstances under which some of the photos would have been made.

When you see a photo that resonates, don’t think, “What lens were they using? And what were their camera settings?”

Instead think, “What thought process did that photographer use to end up in that spot, in that time, to have a shot at making that image?”

Because that’s what photography is really about. It’s not about megapixels, or maximum apertures, or frames per second. It’s about working, all of the time, to solve the little dynamic puzzle that puts you in the right place at the right time. It’s about always being a thinking photographer.

Just so other people will look at your photos and say, “That guy’s so lucky. I coulda taken that shot.”