One of the most helpful things I’ve ever learned about photography has nothing to do with gear, settings, or style. It’s a simple mental framework I now use on nearly every shoot. It’s super helpful when I’m walking through a new city, or just sitting in a cafe watching the light change.
It’s called the 20/60/20 rule. And once you start using it, it can completely shift how you shoot.
✧ What is the 20/60/20 Rule?
The 20/60/20 rule is a way of intentionally balancing your time, energy, and attention as a photographer. It breaks down like this:
- 20% of your time: First impressions and quick reactions
- 60% of your time: Deep observation and experimentation
- 20% of your time: Finishing touches and deliberate framing
It’s a structure designed to slow you down, help you move past surface-level compositions, and give space for your creative instincts to develop.
✧ 20% — Follow the Instinct
When you arrive at a new place or moment, it’s natural to start snapping right away. And that’s okay. The first 20% of your time is about getting those gut reactions out of your system.
Take the shot that first catches your eye. Photograph what pulls your attention immediately — a color, a gesture, a patch of light.
These are the “obvious” frames. Sometimes they’re gold. Sometimes they’re just a warm-up. Either way, they help you settle in.
Tip: Don’t judge these photos. They’re often valuable markers of how your eye works intuitively.
✧ 60% — Stay. Observe. Experiment.
Here’s where the real work (and magic) happens.
Once you’ve taken your first instinctive shots, pause. Stay in the same space longer than feels necessary. Start noticing what’s happening beyond the surface.
- How does the light shift over time?
- What are the background elements doing?
- What emotions are in the space — tension, calm, contrast?
Start experimenting with different compositions, focal lengths, and perspectives. Move around. Wait. Watch. Try framing the same subject five different ways.
This middle 60% is where your eye grows. It’s where you push past “content” and start building story.
Tip: Try putting your camera down for a few minutes. Observe without shooting, then pick it up again with new intention.
✧ 20% — Refine and Commit
Now that you’ve explored the scene deeply, you’ll likely have a better sense of what the strongest frame is. And perhaps what story you actually want to tell?
Use the final 20% of your time to refine the shot.
- Wait for the right moment or gesture
- Adjust your exposure or composition with care
- Take fewer photos — but more considered ones
This stage is where you go from exploratory to deliberate. You’re not just reacting anymore. You’re choosing.
Tip: Ask yourself: If I could only keep one image from this scene, what would it be — and why?
✧ Why This Rule Works
We live in a world that encourages constant capturing. But good photography often comes down to patience, presence, and paying attention.
The 20/60/20 rule helps shift your mindset from “take as many photos as possible” to “slow down, stay with it, and find the one that matters.”
It gives you permission to explore deeply, but also to edit as you go. In this way, you’re not left with hundreds of identical frames and no clear favorite.
✧ Try It on Your Next Shoot
You don’t need a stopwatch. Just use the rhythm of this rule to stay curious longer than you normally would — and to leave each location with fewer, stronger, more intentional images.
Remember, photography is all about how deeply you’re willing to look.
✧ Reflection Prompts: Questions to Ask Yourself at Each Step
Use these questions as quiet check-ins throughout your process. They’ll help you stay present, intentional, and connected to what you’re seeing.
First 20%: Initial Impressions
- What caught my eye right away — and why?
- What emotion does this scene give me?
- Am I reacting, or am I already trying to “get it right”?
- What feels honest about this first frame?
Middle 60%: Deep Observation
- What details am I noticing now that I didn’t at first?
- What’s happening at the edges of the frame?
- How is the light changing? What’s shifting?
- What am I curious about here that I haven’t explored yet?
- Have I tried stepping back? Getting low? Shooting through something?
Final 20%: Refine & Commit
- What story do I want this photo to tell?
- What’s essential in this frame — and what’s distracting?
- If I could only take one photo of this scene, what would it be?
- Does this image feel intentional, or just busy?
- Can I wait for one more second — and see what happens?
Tip: Try keeping these questions saved in your Notes app or printed in your camera bag for when you’re out shooting!
MELISSA MARTINSEN 