"I cannot tell you how many once-in-a-lifetime shots I’ve let slip by." — #NatGeoExplorer Rob_g_green The settings were off or I was distracted or — despite being called a “professional” — I tried to shoot while the lens cap was still absolutely on. Social media rewards perfection, but the worst kept secret of even the best photographers you know is that our work is often just a long series of [screw-ups] punctuated by the occasional image just good enough to keep us coming back. It’s the coming back that matters. You’re out there because you want to document something you care about. Maybe you’re even lucky enough to get paid for it. But one of the traps both new and seasoned photographers slip into is thinking the only world that matters is the one inside the viewfinder. If there is any advice to give that has been learned the hard way, it’s that time in a place and connection to that place will lead to better shots for no other reason than because you understand it better. You le...