Over the years of shooting, I have evolved my thought process to make the evolution of a photograph more simplistic. It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the settings and tech that comes with a camera and the act of simply making a picture can seem overwhelming. I know, I’ve been there. Time has been my greatest teacher. It has helped me realize that the art of making a photograph doesn’t just happen, it requires many things, one of which is just make it simple.

There is so much information out there from the likes of professionals to newbies that it is easy to be confused and have your thought process get clouded before your even raise the camera to your eye. If I may, let me offer some advice that time has taught me and hopefully it will help you as well.

The first is to simply slow down. Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Regardless of what mode you shoot in, relax. It is easy to get sped up with the adrenaline of the moment, but that is when you need to slow things down and just simply taking a deep breath, giving yourself a moment prior to composing will make a world of difference.

The second thing I think about is make the photograph about something. Is it about the light, the look on the critter, the gesture, is it about the movement or the motion? The choices you make magnify the power of the image. Sure, ask yourself about the settings, but don’t stop there; ask instead, “Which settings will most amplify what this one image is about? Which lens? Which composition?

Finally, make it about only that one thing. Don’t worry about the next photograph; that one can be about something more, or something different. Just make it about one thing. Exclude everything unnecessary, and if you’re not sure whether it’s necessary, exclude it and then add it back in if the image loses the magic without it. Simplify. The more elements you include, the greater the chance you’ll dilute the magic. This is about isolation, and cropping tight is only one way to do that. You can isolate with a shallower focus, isolate motion with a slower shutter, or move your camera position. You can expose for the highlights and exclude detail by letting it fall into dark, luxurious shadow. You can wait for the scene to get less cluttered, for a stronger, simpler moment.

How lucky we are that the camera gives us tools to focus our attention, both as we experience the wonder and in the resulting photographs. But first, we all need to slow down. Take a breath, maybe fall in love with your subject, and then—once you’ve laid the groundwork make it about one thing and keep it simple.