I must say, I largely agree with Clark on this one.
I was given that “gem” of advice at college, to have a camera at all times. Now for me, this culminated in a very worn out beaten up camera and a not a whole lot of decent pictures, this is when film was still in the camera, and a decision was required to press the shutter or not.
I discovered that professional/polished stuff doesn’t just happen in front of the camera, that the perfect synergy of events never appears. Adding into that lighting, styling, props, locations, etc..etc.. and the scattergun approach was never going to cut it (for me).
I still don’t shoot terabytes of images, a recently used the 5th frame, the blast and edit approach is just unsuitable for me. I would rather craft a considered image (or series ) into a fine piece of work rather than shoot everything, everyday, all-the-time.
I consider this one of the essential things that makes a professional, a professional. After all, aren’t we trying to say that we have honed ourselves into a sharper tool than the masses of shoot-like-crazy camera owners. As Clark points out Vision is a key element of what we do, tools and techniques are just that, it’s the person (and what they bring to it ) that makes the picture.
Music is a good comparison I play guitar (badly), I can make noises, even hold a tune together, however I would never claim to be a musician, therein is the key part of that comparison. Similarly buying a pencil ( a very cheap tool ) will not turn you Rembrandt, the analogy could run on forever.
But my general feelings are the “shoot tones of stuff” can work in certain disciplines, for me without planning , thought, deeper insight?, research, this never get me anything I would consider the folio worthy.

Then there are those photographers who use a catholic (not the religion) approach, who kind of strip mine (to carry forth the mining analogy) the surface. Perhaps it’s more important for this kind of photographer to be constantly discovering new ways and means to represent the world.

While I like looking at all kinds of photographs, I must admit that I’m mostly drawn to those who go deep, as opposed to those who mine the surface. And, I’m pretty sure that the photographers who I honor and respect don’t find it necessary to be constantly reinventing themselves and their styles.

But that’s just me.

Photography is a practice and, for sure, the more you do it the more you understand it. I’m just not sure that taking a fundamental stand on how best to get “better” at it is the way to go. What’s right, what works for one person, might just be the exact wrong way to proceed for someone else.

Practice is, to me, the operative word. And the definition of “practice” need not be narrowly defined. If you’re smart and have talent and something to say with your work, it will find an audience.

you’ve chosen to see a limit to what you can learn as a photographer. in one way or another – that will show in your work.

No it’s not.

Ok, to clarify… If you are a professional shooter who is hired by a client for a certain type of work/look – you better already know how to achieve the outcome they need – that is your job. And personally, I feel that photography is a lot like riding a bike. You don’t forget how to ride a bike every time you get on one… and you don’t really get that rusty either. You either know how you need to light a shot to achieve your clients needs or you don’t…. it is not your job to explore on someone else’s dime.

If the look you need to achieve for the project requires you to practice more than you have… great do it. If not, then yes, you can actually do not need to take a single picture for 2 months and you’ll still be able to do it just as you have many times before. You don’t need to shoot everyday to know how to do something you already know how to do.

But, that isn’t what I mean. To go a bit further, what I’m talking about is having a visual vision. Not just walking around with a camera and taking pictures of whatever falls in front of you…. everyone can and does do this. This doesn’t make you a good photographer. Really – it doesn’t mean anything – almost no matter what image you capture won’t have enough of a powerful impact to matter much anymore…. – put yourself in a very creative – CD’s position. I have had creative directors say to me (about my own work) and about the masses of images they look at everyday – SO WHAT?? No really, if it looks like something anyone/many other people could have shot – who cares.

Have you seen Avatar? That film is melting peoples minds – you know why? Because it is a crazy 3D visual fest in the most insanely amazing world… people are actually getting depression from not being able to live in that fake 3D world. Now – think of this in terms of photography – when was the last time you saw a photo that was so powerful that it made you depressed for a week because you couldn’t live in the world that it created for you…. exactly. I have only seen a few photos in my entire life that I’ve thought about for more than a day after I saw them.

But, that is what we are up against. Or rather that is the bar. To this day the best compliment I’ve ever gotten for any of my work was from a person who told me that one of my photos made them instantly cry uncontrollably. That means something, that is important.

Now I know many if not most commercial assignments rarely if ever allow for you to try and create an image that could touch someone in that way. But, it should be the goal for your personal work.

Why are we all doing this?… it sure ain’t for the money. Aren’t you all trying to have some impact. Create images that have impact?

So – if you walk around with a camera and just shot whatever is around…. without actively trying to create an image – trying to make and image that is so powerful it is like a punch in the face… then yes you are wasting your time.

Also, I think way too many people professionals or not get far too hung-up on the tools and the techniques – really great photography has very little to do with the tools – it only has to do with your vision. If you have a vision then find the tools and techniques that will make it so.

Not the other way around. Imagine with me for a min. the future.

Here’s what happens in the future – there is a little chip you stick in your head. That chip is a camera… (a tool) that will take a picture in perfect focus, color, depth, framing, hair, make-up, wardrobe, everything…. everything you can imagine. All you have to do is think about what you want to take a picture of and bam! It’s sent to the printers and ready for the wall.

Where do you stand in that future? Do you imagine anything to ‘make’ a picture of. Or are you like Heather says just shooting away whatever happens upon you…. Are you actually creative?

Shooting everyday will help your technical skills, sure, but great photography never had anything to do with that.

That’s my point. So sorry to offend, but I really feel that ‘shooting everyday’ is advice for someone who isn’t working professionally. It is a thought that is focused on the tools rather than the specific vision of the shooter. And it’s a weak point. It’s like telling a plumber, “Make sure you turn a wrench today… you never know when a pipe might break…” Like he doesn’t know how to use a his tools.

Again, Heather, dig deeper.

As for planning and casting and all that, each photographer has a different approach to how they set up their shoots. If that is your MO, then great, I’m sure it works well for you, otherwise you wouldn’t do it that way.

The image library I shot a few days ago involved six weeks of planning, location scouting, casting, wardrobe and props, hundreds of emails, phone conferences and client meetings. All for 2 days of shooting. And at the culmination of all this work, right when all the lighting was ready and the wardrobe approved and make-up touched up and it was go time, the client did not want to see me shake off the rust for the first hour because I haven’t picked up my camera in 2 months. They wanted to see me shoot shoot shoot, and that’s what I did.

Kenneth: I was going to go the musical route in my first post. Good analogy. I’m in a band and during our weekly rehearsals we always start with 20 minutes of jamming. Purely reactive playing. And if there is anything in there we liked, we find a way to incorporate it into the songs. If not, then our amps are warm and we’re ready to move on. No big deal, but we play better as a group because of it.

When I was starting out, an established New York shooter gave me two pieces of advice. Always have a camera with you and never stop looking. 25 years later, it’s still the best career advice I’d every had.