Luck, or is it Preparation

The following proof sheet of the Lunar Eclipse, taken at Venice Beach, California - were the images a result of luck, or planning?

In this case, a little of both.  I had planned exactly where I wanted to be for the eclipse - I wanted to frame it with the palm trees.  I knew the time when it would reach its maximum.  What I couldn't plan, and what was luck, were the coastal clouds that the beach if famous for this time of year.  Any more clouds, and there would have been no view of the eclipse.  Any less, and it would have been too bright to photograph without the possibility of burning out the sensor in the camera.  And it would not have been quite the same without the added drama the clouds added.  At times, it was hidden from view, and at times it was not obscured at all, so was too bright.  But with patience, preparation, and some luck, was able to get some excellent shots, which were then post processed in LightRoom 3.

To make a bit of a generalization, life is often a combination of luck, planning, and skill, to different degrees.  The lotto is about as pure luck as you can get (unless your totally psychic).  Photography, on the other hand, is pretty much pure planning and experience, occasionally some luck is involved.  When Ansel Adams shot "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico," he was lucky to come upon the scene at the exact time that he did, but because of his experience and understanding of lighting and exposure, and because he always carried his equipment with him, he was prepared for that lucky moment.

If Uncle Joe shoots your portrait, or wedding, and gets a beautiful result, it is probably more luck.  When a professional, someone with knowledge about lighting, posing, depth of field, composition, etc., and who has many years experience gets beautiful results - it's not luck.  But if you add a little luck, too, then you will end up with a once in a life time image.  And it will be Priceless.

One last thought - although people seem to like specialists (such as portrait photographer, wedding photographer, sports photographer, landscape photographer, war photographer, etc.), the photographers with extensive knowledge and experience (Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Richard Avedon, and so many others) will always get superior results in anything they photograph.

Have a great day, and a healthy one!