How many pictures do you keep per shoot?

[RinkRat]

I was just wondering, since I am still new at this.

I went to a car show today & took ~150 pictures, and I only like 2 of them. (and I'm really not overly excited about those 2 either)

Do most of you experience this, or is it a newb experience I have to work through?

Thanks

-RinkRat

[Scottes]

If every picture you take is lower than your standards then lower your standards.

:)

I've found that I keep about 20% of my shots, process 5% or 6%, and consider less than 2% to be true keepers.

I'm also fairly new at this (10 months), I have low standards, and some of what I lack in photographic skills I make up for with Photoshop skills. :-)

10 months of Photographic skills combined with 13 years of Photoshops skills gives you a lot more keepers.

[robertwgross]

I did a recent four-day event, and I shot about 160 frames digitally and about 100 frames on film. Of that, the keepers were about 30 digital and about 20 on film. Of those, the super ones were about 2 digital and about 3 on film.

So, in all, five isn't a very good percentage out of the original total. On the other hand, five is better than none.

---Bob Gross---

[GPR1]

Ansel Adams once said he took about 1 great image a month. I don't take that many great images. Most of my images are properly exposed, a quarter of them are fine, I wouldn't be embarrased to show them to people, but just a few really get my juices going.

Greg

[Danny Boy]

I'm in the same boat as most. Now I don't feel so bad. :oops:

[Haifidelity]

I'm the same. Out of so many pictures, only a select few are what I would consider keepers.

I've had a reverse experience with photography--started with digital and then experiemented with film.

The more I use film, the more it rubs off on my digital usage...i.e. Less is more. My tendencies with Digital is different when i first started. Instead of a Machine Gun attitude, i'm spending more time thinking about the shot and stopped worrying about 'one of these X amount of frames should be alright' to 'I need to get it right in this one shot.'

[blinking8s]

i havent ever taken much that i like, but I am blessed enough now to be able to take a full shoot without blurring shots or being out of focus, and have close to good exposure...with film or digital...which is cool

I would say out of every 100 that i take, i have about 5-10 that I am willing to show people...

i have days where I take a lot of betterish shots...and days where I dont take any that I like

[tommykjensen]

Recently I find that I pick less from the entire shoot.

This weekend I was at the zoo and saw a cycling race.

At the zoo I shot 70 but only think about 38 is worth anything.

At the cycling race I shot 162 but only 61 is anything worth.

[timmyquest]

Depends on the shoot. High action shoots generally leave me with about...10% or so.

I took 188 demo derby pics, kept 15, i like maybe 2.

It's a sign of a few things, for starters it is a sign of someone who is picky which is good sometimes. It is a sign of someone who knows whats worth while, which is a good thing, it may also be a sign of someone who is learning when he should take a photo, hwich is a good thing, it is a sign that you know the more pictures you take the more likely to get a keeper...or 2.

No worries here ;-)

[jgbeam]

It's easier to keep them all and archive them on CD's than to go through them one-by-one and delete them. But I will put the keepers (i.e., those I print) in a separate folder so I don't have to hunt for them later.

Jim

[scottbergerphoto]

Follow the Rule of Thirds:
1. Throw out 1/3 before post processing.
2. Throw out 1/3 after post processing.
3. Keep 1/3 and act like they're the only ones you took
:D
Regards,
Scott

[RichardtheSane]

Follow the Rule of Thirds:
1. Throw out 1/3 before post processing.
2. Throw out 1/3 after post processing.
3. Keep 1/3 and act like they're the only ones you took
:D
Regards,
Scott

;)

Didn't know this was a written rule... not that I would ever do that :)

[JZaun]

That is a difficult question,... I shot butterflys today.,.trying to get one in flight :? took 125, threw them all away.. "0%" kept :(

Last month took 500 pic's of Daylilys, Kept over 400. Thats a easy subject to shoot.

Went to the park to get birds. found my goldfinch, took 25 pic's kept 3 ??wow

Since I got the cam last Jan I have shot 6000 and kept about 500. This is a good percentage but I shoot high percentage of easy subjects. I am sure if I shot all birds or BF's or airplanes or race cars my keepers would be much lower :D :D :D

JZ

[PhotosGuy]

If every picture you take is lower than your standards then lower your standards.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Instead of a Machine Gun attitude, i'm spending more time thinking about the shot and stopped worrying about 'one of these X amount of frames should be alright' to 'I need to get it right in this one shot.'

That's the ticket!
If you have the time, look first, shoot second.
If not, GRAB IT! Then look for a better shot.

Read JZaun's answer. Now read it again!

I usually shoot on M. As I walk around, or anticipate a 'situation' about to happen & if the lights changing & I have the time, I'll pop off a shot & evaluate the histogram.
Then I'll delete it.

But I will put the keepers (i.e., those I print) in a separate folder so I don't have to hunt for them later.

Pixort is good for that (free), or PSCS if you have it.
It allows viewing RAW files, & setting a 1-5 classification, then it will move them to separate folders for you. I delete anything that's not a 1 or 2.

As for 'lowering standards', mine change depending on the situation. I have higher standards for flower shots, than for the air show pics, since I have very little, (mostly no control), over the lighting & shooting angles.
In time, you'll develop your own, & you'll learn to "See" the pic before you take it.
Then you'll be on your way to becoming a photographer, instead of a snapshooter. :wink:

[IndyJeff]

It all depends on what I am shooting. If it is a race crash one one will be a keeper out of 8-10. If shooting a softball game maybe 300 shots and I will post 350 for purchase, about 35 of those may be real keepers but, parents want pictures of their kids. Who am I to argue what they think is good or not?

Typically I have been told that about 10% of what you shoot should be considered as keepers for transmission/printing. Above that and maybe your standards are a little lax, below it and you need to do some more work in the composition or focusing dept.

[robertwgross]

If shooting a softball game maybe 300 shots and I will post 350 for purchase, about 35 of those may be real keepers but, parents want pictures of their kids.

Your math confuses me. If you shot 300, then how do you post 350 for purchase?

---Bob Gross---

[Jon]

Different post-processing and crops :{)#

[IndyJeff]

It is the magic of digital Bob LOL.

No, that should have read shoot 300 post 250. Just trying to keep you on your toes Bob.



Rink Rat, if you got 2 pictures that were good then that was a success. I did a shoot for a race driver once for a brochure to give to prospective sponsors. About 72 car shots, 36 head, bust, full body shots and two were on the brochure. 2 out of 96 but, that is all the shots he needed but he had a great selection to choose from.

[robertwgross]

No, that should have read shoot 300 post 250. Just trying to keep you on your toes Bob.

I thought maybe you were into New Math, or something.

---Bob Gross---

[IndyJeff]

New math? Heck I had enough trouble with the old new math.

[Roach711]

Years back I saw a show about a national Geographic photographer. He was shooting in a remote location and brought two duffel bags and a steamer trunk. One duffel held his clothing, one had his cameras & lenses and the steamer trunk was FULL of film. He said he'd use it all on this assignment and maybe 5 to 10 would make it into print. Lately there was an article on Superbowl photographers working for Sports Illustrated. Collectively they took 16,000 pics of the game and maybe 5 made it to the magazine.

Makes 2-out-of-100 look like a pretty good return.

Da Roach

[aam1234]

Makes 2-out-of-100 look like a pretty good return

yeah, that's what I was thinking.

If I can get 1 or 2 shots per, say, 3 months, then I'm happy (from few hundreds total). Mind you, those 1 or 2 good shots are nothing to write home about (ok I'm home, but you get the idea).

[Roach711]

I've been shooting off and on for years and have a lot of pics that are "nice" (and probably look great to most people) but I've got maybe 30 out of *all those shots* that I'd be proud to put up in public. Granted I'm not out clicking away every day or even every month but I've burned a lot of film (these days filled a lot of memory cards) most of which got deleted. Judging from your archive I'd say you're doing fine.

Da Roach