Ever consider what you want your audience to “see” in your photo? This is a little different than just snapping images. It requires you to ‘plan’ what you shoot. In my case, it requires me to scan the scene ahead of time, evaluating the various aspects of what I see. Then, composing the photo in such a way as to bring a ‘message’ to the viewer. Many times this can be done in phototshop after the fact, but being conscious of what I want the viewer to come away with as a ‘message’. This requires eliminating any extraneous material from the image so that I can draw them into the image.
It also harkens back to using a tri-pod. Where will their eye go when viewing the image? How can I direct their view to the message? What is the message I want them to come away with?
It makes photography a much more important vehicle to communication.
Mike McMurray's Forest Photography 