Do you just shoot from the first place you see the subject from?

If not how much time do you spend looking and moving around to find a better place?

What do you consider when making your final selection?
Do you plan in advance, or rely on serendipity, or both?

Do you consider coming back when the Sun has moved, or the weather or tide has changed?
I'll share my thoughts once someone has shown interest and posted theirs

Peter, 

Thank you for starting the thread.  I'll try to answer the questions posed.

Do you just shoot from the first place you see the subject from?

     - the first step after noticing a subject is to ask why it needs to be photographed, and which aspects are most expressive.  This comes before choosing where  to set up the tripod.  

If not, how much time do you spend looking and moving around to find a better place?

     -  not much time.  I'll consider other viewpoints, but, curiously, often come back to the original.  

What do you consider when making your final selection?

     - showing  the subject in the strongest, most meaningful way possible, with good light and minimal distractions, but keeping in mind Edward Weston's advice . . . .  " I see no reason for recording the obvious."   There are enough cliché photographs already.   

Do you plan in advance, or rely on serendipity, or both?

     - rarely plan in advance, open to serendipity and muse.      

Do you consider coming back when the Sun has moved, or the weather or tide has changed?

     - don't often do that, although aware that it is good technique to work that way.  

* Having written, I see my answers show that my attitude is on the casual side of good photographic technique.

. . . . Steven T

Do you just shoot from the first place you see the subject from?

I often take several photos of other locations, and the first one is usually the one I like best. It was that location that sparked my desire to take photos for some reason.

If not how much time do you spend looking and moving around to find a better place?

It depends on the subject. As a rule, I don't spend much time on it, but when it comes to landscapes, I may have to walk a significant distance to see if an alternative perspective is better.

What do you consider when making your final selection?

Essentially, I am concerned with the effect that light and external elements may have on capturing the subject.
Do you plan in advance, or rely on serendipity, or both?

It depends on the type of photography. For landscape photography, I like to plan in detail and return to the same location several times to find the best possible conditions. For city photography, however, I rely on the moment and don't prepare in advance.

Do you consider coming back when the Sun has moved, or the weather or tide has changed?

I have already answered this question. I would just add that, when taking landscape photographs, I will sometimes wait for hours in the same spot for the perfect moment.

Gonçalo

Ahh, what a great question. For me, the first decision happens the moment I see something I want to photograph. I ask myself whether I want it to stand alone as its own image or use it as an element in a composite. That choice guides everything that follows.

If it is meant to stand alone, sunrise gives me all the bells and whistles I love. Beautiful golden highlights paired with softer shadows than sunset. There is so much quiet glory in that light, and it brings an emotional richness I am always drawn to.

If I see the subject as part of a composite, I aim for daybreak light. It offers the softest, most even light without harsh shadows or glowing highlights. That flat, gentle light gives me the flexibility to build shadows and highlights myself so the element fits naturally into the larger scene.

Of course, if I come across something wonderful for the first time, I will always photograph it right then. But most of the time, I plan and return at the light that best serves the purpose.

All the best,

Tammy