A person can have perfect 20/20 eyesight and still suffer from tunnel vision. Photographers are not immune from this malady!

You can be so intent on getting to a specific location that you fail to notice interesting subject matter along the way. You walk right by something that would have made an even better photograph - or perhaps a more unique shot.

Working on-site, you might stick with a single composition rather than trying a different way of framing the scene, or alternate vantage points, or switching lenses. You might be so absorbed with what's in front of you that you forget to turn around and see that something equally interesting is just waiting to be photographed.

I'm not suggesting that getting expeditiously to a location in order to take advantage of favorable conditions or good light is a bad thing. We all do it. Further, the window of opportunity can be fleeting. If so, quick work is required. There may be barely enough time for more than a single shot. And of course your attention and efforts are primarily focused on the subject at hand; that's what caught your eye. Or it's what you came to shoot.

Still, be aware of tunnel vision and try to avoid it. Being mindful when out in nature pays dividends. Notice things. Slow down whenever possible. Keep an open mind. Give yourself some latitude to connect with your surroundings. And whatever you do, don't be in a rush to pack up your bag and leave.

The photo pictured below illustrates how important it can be to simply look over your shoulder.

On this morning in Grand Teton National Park, I was hoping for fog; it had rained overnight and was still showering when I arrived on location in the hour before daybreak. Unfortunately, though the desired fog arrived, it was so thick the images I had in mind would not be possible to make. (It would be early afternoon before it burned off.) That said, the dense, opaque curtain created other interesting opportunities. I made a series of photos while the fog waxed and waned, shifting and dancing.

While doing so, I kept an eye on what was unfolding behind me. The mountains to the east were becoming visible; the storm clouds above them had a great deal of definition; the fog was burning off more quickly in that direction. A young conifer along the river caught my eye. It stood alone, its line emphasized by its reflection. Though pretty to look at, it wasn't a photograph - until just a little bit of sunlight broke through which lit the tree, a few of the aspens in the background, and most important, the wisp of lingering fog.

It was that illuminated bit of fog which completed the scene. This is where your eye first lands, and the spotlight effect would be much less obvious without it. Its shape is duplicated by the cloud above it which contributes to the vertical structure within the center of the frame.

That fleeting shaft of sunlight created a vignette featuring what first captured my attention: the little tree and its reflection. I wouldn't have noticed this, or made the photograph, if I hadn't looked behind my shoulder. Another bonus? It's a different way of depicting the Park; it includes none of the iconic elements you normally see.

Take the blinders off. You'll be rewarded with more opportunities to make interesting photos.