Keey rate on sports photography

Please advise I am wondering what is an average keep rate for you pro photographers.

thnx

Someone asked that a few weeks ago. It depends on how crappy the conditions I'm shooting under are & what's happening in the frame. If I'm going for a sharp car & some wheel blur in reasonably good light, somewhere between 95-98%. That refers to shots that I think are good enough to keep.
Now, if I were shooting for publication, the ratio would drop way down after I nit-picked them to death! Some days, depending on what I'm shooting, I'm happy if I get one very nice shot!

Some shooting links:
Advice needed for Rally shooting

Probably about 96-98%.

Reply from a weekend amateur.
When taking rugby and soccer pictures, in focus shots would be over 90%.

This is WAY too broad a question to answer definitively. First of all, define what a keeper is - does this mean a properly-exposed, in focus shot? Or does it also mean a capture of peak action or something compelling? Is a keeper a portfolio shot?

Everyone's definition of a "keeper" is subjective.

Also, some of our customers tell us what they consider a keeper.

Are you shooting at night or indoors with ambient light, or with strobes? Are you shooting mid-day?

When shooting youth sports, it's not unusual for for the majority of my shots to be keepers (it's amazing what parents will buy, so I rarely delete any in focus shots), but when shooting pro sports, out of 300 - 500 shots taken in a game, I'll probably submit maybe 20 or 30 images, and of these, I'll be lucky if 2 or 3 are what I would consider my "keepers", or something worth posting online or "showing off".

Shooting outdoor swim meets, I'd say about 40%. "Keepers" may be the wrong term though. Just because I don't print one out doesn't mean it's not a "keeper." Reasons for not printing:

1. Erratic strokes (swimmer breathed on the other side, arm crossing face, etc.).
2. Bad splash.
3. Got a better shot. I generally try and get two or three of each swimmer.
4. Too distracting a background.
5. Uninteresting shot.
6. Autofocus off the mark.

Strictly speaking, I never delete shots so I guess I "keep" 100%.

I have to agree with Dennis. I find that I tend to delete many shots that could be considered keepers in terms of exposure and focus but for some reason, they just don't get me excited. I also delete any images that are too similar in terms of composition if it's the same athlete (ie ptichers). In the end, I'd say I'm somewhere around 85% that could be kept, much lower that actually are though.

I have to agree with Dennis...Define keeper....in focus, proper lighting...very high. Great picture...subject, action, tells a story, would keep it as a portfolio shot.....much more uncommon.

depends completely on the sport

"Also, some of our customers tell us what they consider a keeper."

How true it is. Saturday I took about 500 photos at a High School Invitational Track Meet. In my mind about 15 were real keepers. In the kid's minds practically everyone was precious. What I consider a keeper and what someone else considers a keeper can be world's apart.

Keepers can vary widely amongst individuals and situations.

Just thought I'd add that one problem I face (have been told by more than one outift I've shot for) is that I don't submit enough when covering a game. I might take 250 shots and it's like pulling teeth to get 50 submitted because, in my mind, they aren't bangers. When I have shot 200-250 and submitted 150-200, they have been much happier despite my feeling that many of those should have been tossed.

namasste wrote in post #5470212
Just thought I'd add that one problem I face (have been told by more than one outift I've shot for) is that I don't submit enough when covering a game. I might take 250 shots and it's like pulling teeth to get 50 submitted because, in my mind, they aren't bangers. When I have shot 200-250 and submitted 150-200, they have been much happier despite my feeling that many of those should have been tossed.

Scott - that's my point, exactly. I have one customer who requires 50-75 images minimum. Most wires I shoot for look for 20 os so images.

When I shoot youth tournaments and leagues, I'll end up submitting 200 or more. In some instances, my shooting a game for a team may be the only time all year that they are photographed, so they'll look for pretty much every in focus shot.

In all instances, I probably shoot the same number of images in a game (and I chimp to cut the obviously OOF shots during the game).

Also, shooting for a wire and submitting live images, I normally won't send "stock" shots that are regularly submitted when not submitting live (or at least until after the game).

Here's an excellent discussion on the topic from earlier this year on FM:

http://www.fredmiranda​.com/forum/topic/62027​8/0#5477180

dmwierz wrote in post #5470359
Scott - that's my point, exactly. I have one customer who requires 50-75 images minimum. Most wires I shoot for look for 20 os so images.

When I shoot youth tournaments and leagues, I'll end up submitting 200 or more. In some instances, my shooting a game for a team may be the only time all year that they are photographed, so they'll look for pretty much every in focus shot.

In all instances, I probably shoot the same number of images in a game (and I chimp to cut the obviously OOF shots during the game).

Also, shooting for a wire and submitting live images, I normally won't send "stock" shots that are regularly submitted when not submitting live (or at least until after the game).

Here's an excellent discussion on the topic from earlier this year on FM:

http://www.fredmiranda​.com/forum/topic/62027​8/0#5477180

seems like 50-75 is pretty standard around here as well. They keep telling me that every shot does not need to be peak action but I can't help but wanting to make every shot that way anyway. As a result, I shoot too few frames or submit stuff that, imo, is just kinda run of the mill. Oh well, if the man wants a blue suit, sell him a blue suit, right?

If it's a standard three-hour football game, I can shoot 1200-1500!

'Keepers' as per 'in focus, compositionally-sound and could be used depending on requirements', probably around 80%.

'Keepers' as in 'submit to the team website', maybe 150-200.

'Keepers' as in 'submit to the local papers', maybe 15-20, tops.

'Keepers' as in 'are they outstanding enough to display on here?', usually none.

mm.. keeper rate that others may 'enjoy' around 50%-60%
keeper rate that i like and are proud of is normally 10%ish

camo