This is based on my own experience as well as from my observation of the workflow of my colleagues in the industry with whom I had the privilege of working. The five steps are planning, preparation, practice, patience, and paying attention to details.

Planning

The first of the 5 Ps is Planning. Basically, planning involves conceptualization—the process of figuring out what to shoot and how to shoot it. This I consider is the first step in any successful photography. It does not mean that a photograph that starts from a concept is always good. Sometimes, the concept may have been badly implemented and therefore results in what the photographer did not envision it to be. But you can always distinguish a photograph that is borne out of a concept from a snapshot, even if the idea did not pan out.

Sometimes the concept originates from somebody else other than the photographer. The best example of this is in advertising. In those shoots, it is the art or creative director of an ad agency who originates the concept, and the photographer simply executes it. The same thing goes for editorial photography where the publication dictates to the photographer who to shoot, the layout, and even the clothes and make-up of the model. In some cases, however, the publication relies on the photographer for the concept, as in the case of the American fashion photographer David LaChapelle.

In most cases, however, specially where no client is involved, the photographer is the author and the implementor of the idea. You will see that planning plays a crucial role in all successful fine art, salon, travel, and still life photographs. Whether the concept originates from the photographer or from somebody else, a successful shoot more often than not is a product of planning.

Planning can mean simply knowing what to shoot. In many cases, however, it involves more than mere visualization. It may require drawing or sketches of the idea and, as in the case of a fashion or similar shoot, a tick list of things are needed to successfully implement the shoot, i.e., models, clothes, make-up, venue, props, lights and equipment to use, among others.

Preparation

Having decided on the concept, the second step, Preparation, entails readying all the materials needed to implement it at the correct time they are needed. At times, preparation refers to simply assembling the materials, such as flowers, that you need for a still life photo. Or, it can be as complicated as contracting the model, booking the studio or scouting for a venue, and/or renting the equipment, as in the case of a portrait shoot.

It can also refer to checking out the weather, knowing what to wear (e.g., hiking shoes), or anticipating what lens to bring before going to a location shoot.

In general, regardless of what kind of photography is pursued, preparation will certainly involve making sure the batteries are completely charged; there are enough empty memory cards (or films); equipment are working properly, etc.

Practice

While the preparation stage is more about putting together the resources needed for the shoot, another form of preparation, Practice, involves exercising one’s creative muscles.

Like a seasoned athlete, a good photographer oftentimes prepares for the actual shoot by practicing the shoot and simulating the layouts to make sure that all bases are covered. Even an experienced advertising photographer still resorts to practice before a big shoot, particularly if he/she is not familiar with the product. Practice, or trial shoots, boosts the photographer’s confidence to handle the job and at the same time minimizes, if not prevents, mistakes during the actual shoot.

But for a newbie in photography, practice does not only mean preparing for a particular shoot. It refers more to developing the skill and getting familiar with the equipment by constantly shooting with them. The best way a rookie can have a lot of practice is by joining a camera club. Since photo clubs have monthly photo activities, they will provide him with a lot of practice. Being a back-up photographer in a wedding shoot, or working as an apprentice in a commercial studio, is also a good way of providing a neophyte in photography the necessary practice.

Patience

Once all the necessary materials have been assembled and all the necessary procedures undertaken, the next step is the execution of the concept.

At this stage, patience plays a very important role. In portrait photography, for example, a good photographer will take time to study his/her model’s overall appearance, patiently arranging the lights to be able to bring out the photogenic side of the model, and selecting the appropriate backdrop and props that will enhance the overall photograph.

To a landscape photographer, patience is about waiting for the right light or for the right focal point to appear in the scene. To a travel photographer, patience is choosing the right angle, or looking for vantage point to give the scenery a more interesting interpretation. On the extreme, it can mean packing up your gear to come back the next day when the lighting might be better for your concept.

Oftentimes, lack of patience on the part of the photographer results in a hurried shot and therefore a failed implementation of the concept. Unless time is of the essence, a good photographer will always take his time.

Paying attention to details

This last stage, paying attention to details, is for me the most critical step to creating a successful photo. Sometimes a simple thing like a crooked collar on the subject’s shirt, or strands of hair sticking out of the model’s head, could ruin what otherwise could have been a perfect shot—simply because it was overlooked during the shoot.

In composition, attention to details is about knowing what to include and knowing what to exclude in a shoot, so as to focus the attention of the viewer on the most important part of the photograph. This is achieved by patiently scanning the entire scenery, looking for objects that might distract the attention of the viewer. This may be a bright light peaking through the leaves, litter on the foreground, somebody walking through the scene, or a twig that seems to stick out of the ear of your subject!

Knowing where to place the focal point or making sure that the horizon is straight in a landscape photography also means paying attention to details. In food photography, this may mean making sure that the focal point (like a cherry on top of the ice cream) has enough contrast to separate it from the other elements in the picture. How the accessories are placed vis-a-vis the main ingredient in a food layout is also part of this process.

When a portrait photographer takes time to direct how his model turns her face, tilts her head or places her hands, he is giving attention to details.

But the ability to detect the details is oftentimes achieved only through constant practice and patience.