An image of a white pigeon satisfying its thirst is not bird photography in the classic sense. And like many of the photos that grow on us over time, it isn't about the primary subject but rather what it represents and how it makes us feel.

Critical to both the enjoyment and the end result of your photography is your mindset. Indeed, a client-driven photographer has to be keeping a close eye on the end result. However, if you are doing it for yourself, pay more immediate attention to how something makes you feel than how it looks on your LCD.

We experience being alone as either solitude or loneliness. Solitude is viewed as a peaceful and positive state, while loneliness is considered bleak and empty. Solitude is sought out while loneliness is inflicted upon us. So, what does this have to do with photography? Quite a bit, it would seem — both in how and what we photograph.