Not just for street photographers - the information here will work for pretty much anyone.
SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND:
"When I refer to “editing“, I am referring to the act of choosing your best images, rather than “post-processing”. However nowadays when most photographers refer to “editing” their work, you can almost determine with 99% accuracy that they mean “post-processing” their work. Due to this confusion and interchanging use of the word “editing” – the true art of editing, or choosing your best work, is a lost cause." ~ from the article.
In other words, he is NOT talking about Photoshop, post-processing, PickNick, PicAviary, MS Paint, what-have-you.
Also, the following quote probably just changed my life:
"You are what you eat. If you only look at mediocre photographs, you can only aspire to take mediocre photographs at best." ~ Eric Kim
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You Broke Eric Kims Website :P
Also for anyone taking part in the Street Photography Now challenge then Eric Kim is one of my favourite Street Photogers and his website / blog is well worth following
@sdpace@38mm Um, I think the BEE EFF EFF gets to call dibs first. #justsaying
I really really liked the idea of holding onto images and not dumping everything that's remotely serviceable online, which is definitely a habit of mine when shooting film. Shawn Hoke (yes, I'm on about Shawn Hoke again) posts maybe three shots a week or so, if that. I'm not sure how long he holds onto rolls before he develops them, though.
I've gotten into the habit of holding onto a roll of film until I forget what's on it, and only THEN taking it to get developed. That helps. I'm not sure what the digital equivalent of that would be - perhaps not going through your images until the card is full? No idea.
@beautifulthing Yeah I kinda go upload crazy, I have been thinking about a second Flickr account just for the good stuff. Plus if you don't upgrade it you will be limited as well
@dieter The more I think about it, the more I am totally and completely inclined to agree. I'm thinking it's time to rethink what I'm doing here, for sure. :)
@beautifulthing Thanks for posting this! He's very right in the distancing yourself from your photos to help weed out the bad ones. I know I need to do that more often. Im going to try and actually do some stuff from this article. Thank you!
@katiebrenkert You are welcome! It's definitely, DEFINITELY food for thought. I've already been working on clearing some things out of my Flickr this afternoon.
Fantastic article. I probably should practise more of it. Most photos i upload here do not please me as much. My own portfolio (when i finally organize it) should have around 20-30 photos. Nothing in comparison to the more than a hundred i already posted here. And much others than didn't even came to be posted... I took more than 10 thousand pictures, and yet, only a few, 20 or so i really really like.
@gabrielklee That sounds like a good balance though! I just finished going through my Flickr - I deleted over 600 images. Unreal. And I probably could have deleted more.
I'm eventually going to do a portfolio site and I'm shooting for only 30-40 there.
Interesting article. I guess it all depends on your goals and your purpose--I am trying to have fun, which means no rules and no pressure. If someone was trying to shoot professionally they would need to evaluate their actions more IMO. Also I think it's great that so many people are loading photos all over the internet, it's not an exclusive club--it's a way for people to share and communicate.
Good stuff. "Wait a certain period of time before you upload" - that is something I should do more. It has been such an eye-opener as I've gone through my older shots. I've discarded really good pictures, uploaded horrible ones and done some hideous processing to them... and then there are a couple of pictures which still make me happy, just the way they are.
What I've been trying to do lately, is to edit while shooting. I shoot shitloads of "OK" pictures, not crap but nothing special either. So, before pressing the shutter, I really try to think "does this work, have I done this already..." . I don't feel like I have missed a single good shot, but I know I have saved a lot of time because I don't have to go through hundreds of mundane pictures.
@janmaki You should have seen some of the HORRIBLE shots that I just cleaned out of my Flickr - really, really bad.
That editing while shooting is a good idea - I've been trying to do that too, especially with film, since I have more limited shots. Ken Rockwell has a GREAT article about that: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/fart.htm
Great article Shelly! God, I love so many points he made in it and agree totally with everything. Taking photos everyday is good... we all know that to be a truth. But you don't have to show all of them. Many times I catch myself thinking "would I hang that up on my wall... would I include it in a book?" which is the same thing he's saying about including it in an exhibition. That is a real stopper! And looking at great photography is another I agree with. There are times when I feel like I'm looking at too much crap. And the one about trying to be original... not copying others work... holds a dear place in my heart. Great article!
@aspada@beautifulthing also since the article mentions the 365 project... I think that 365 and a portfolio site are different things. 365 is a community that make you learn and photograph more (thus learn more). With that in mind, photographing everyday, you can manage to do a great portfolio. And when you do, edit yourself ruthlessly.
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You Broke Eric Kims Website :P
Also for anyone taking part in the Street Photography Now challenge then Eric Kim is one of my favourite Street Photogers and his website / blog is well worth following
I really really liked the idea of holding onto images and not dumping everything that's remotely serviceable online, which is definitely a habit of mine when shooting film. Shawn Hoke (yes, I'm on about Shawn Hoke again) posts maybe three shots a week or so, if that. I'm not sure how long he holds onto rolls before he develops them, though.
I've gotten into the habit of holding onto a roll of film until I forget what's on it, and only THEN taking it to get developed. That helps. I'm not sure what the digital equivalent of that would be - perhaps not going through your images until the card is full? No idea.
Great article.
I'm eventually going to do a portfolio site and I'm shooting for only 30-40 there.
What I've been trying to do lately, is to edit while shooting. I shoot shitloads of "OK" pictures, not crap but nothing special either. So, before pressing the shutter, I really try to think "does this work, have I done this already..." . I don't feel like I have missed a single good shot, but I know I have saved a lot of time because I don't have to go through hundreds of mundane pictures.
That editing while shooting is a good idea - I've been trying to do that too, especially with film, since I have more limited shots. Ken Rockwell has a GREAT article about that: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/fart.htm