Just for the sake of curiosity, I'm curious how many shots you average for a shot that you're pretty happy with.
I'm very, very new, and I think for every 20 or so shots I get one I think is ok. And probably out of every 40 or so I'm pretty happy with what I've gotten. I haven't gotten anything amazing yet, but I'm certainly learning a ton and am finding this project to be absolutely amazing.
What about you? And how long have you been into photography?
(And for the record, I always welcome constructive feedback. I'm here to learn!)
I try to get my settings right before I start shooting and then adjust as needed after the first couple shots. Then from there, I just wait for the right opportunity. My main subject I am talking about shooting is my 9 month old son so I do a lot of just waiting. I don't "spray and pray" which is kind of what it sounds like you might be doing. I really really am not meaning that to come off as rude and I am truly sorry if it does! But with looking at your setting and the lighting situation before shooting a bunch, you should be able to get the amount of photos you take down and have more shots you are happy with.
I am at about 90% of my shots are usable and only 10% that never see the light of day.
BUT... that being said, I think through my shots BEFORE clicking away. In that 10% is also the double of a few poses that I will take. You know, for those that blinked or looked away at the wrong time....
When I first started it took me a lot of shots before I got the one I wanted and sometimes never got the shot. But over time with experience, I learned to take the time to survey the situation and think what has worked and not worked in the past, go thru my mental check list for the shot, and then shoot. So at times I may get what I want in one shot and other time it takes a few adjustments and some more shots to get it. But there are still times it may take a lot of shots and still never get it and move on. I wouldnt get too hung up on this and just take the time to think about what you want before actually shooting. And over time you'll see your ratio improve. But hey with digital we can all take has many as we need to.
@mmartin Not taken as rude at all. I take a lot of time adjusting settings and light. But I've had a DSLR for only about a month. So many of my shots are experimenting with settings. Then I'll look on my computer and see what worked and what didn't. I'm already starting to get more pictures that I like just from getting used to my camera and realizing what compositons and settings work.
I have a 2 month old and 22 month old, so I have a limited time where I can shoot right now. So, maybe I do spray and pray a little bit, just because I don't know how much time I'll get. But, regardless, I do think I'm becoming a little more efficient. :)
It completely depends on what I'm shooting. If I'm digital, shooting water drops, I can take a hundred and be happy with one. If I'm shooting film, I am much more careful and am happy with about 90% of them. Whenever I start getting careless because of digital laziness, I switch to film to "realign myself" :)
@michaelelliott I'm not super hung up on it. I was mostly just curious how much that typically changes with experience. Honestly, being so new to photography, I'm quite pleased with what I've gotten since January 1. They may not compare to the experts on here, but they are so much better than I thought I was capable of. I am absolutely loving having a creative outlet every day that forces me to take some time for myself.
@grizzlysghost I'm sure if I were using film, I'd be much more picky, but I am super thankful for digital while I'm still learning the ropes! My mom was telling me about using her for SLR for yearbook and developing the film, and hoping it turned out, because there was only once chance to shoot particular events. That would be very nerve racking for me!
I get a lot more keepers now than I did at the beginning, even though I am even more fussy now.
I still stuff up but see them as lessons learned lol
It all comes from knowing you camera and using the correct settings.
I do tend to shoot wide open (f/1.8-1.4) so when shooting that wide I end up with less keepers than say at f/2.8.
A lot more of my shots are SOOC or minimal PP now, which again has come from practice and learning. And I still have soooo much more to learn!!
There are some amazing photographers on here willing to share there knowledge
If I am shooting models I will take around 300-400 in a two hour shoot. Of of those I will get it down to about 70-90, then out of those I will take it down to around 30 and out of those I will take it down to around 12.
And these shots are completely set-up, but I am very very very picky on these shoots.
on the other hand if I am shooting an event I will take around 2000 and out of that I will take it down to about 1200, then again down to around 600 or so.
To answer your question about how long have I been shooting.... Well it seems like forgever but really from around 2000 when I got my first digital camera and on a serious level for the last 3-4 years.
I keep less than I did when I first started 3 years ago, but if I look back at my keepers from then I laugh , man what I thought was great was so poor. Now if I take 30 pictures about 10 will be keepers. Can't wait to look back at I think of my keepers in a years time.
I started about three years ago, but back then I'd keep nearly any picture that was barely worth anything. Now I'm so picky I keep about 1 picture every 10 I take. But it always depends, especially if I'm shooting something I really enjoy. But I always try to keep it simple and get two or three really good ones.
That's just me doing my project of course, if I'm ever taking pictures for anyone I usually take 200+ and try to narrow it down to 30 decent ones that I can narrow down from there on out.
I try real hard to get 10% of the shots I take to be acceptable. Some days it might be a little more and some days a little less. It is always to consider each shot and how you want it to look. Shoot it from several perspectives. I may not like all of them but there is that one that turns out better than you planned.
Ive been trying to take fewer shots, and make them count. I read a challenge to take photos like you were using film still. It helped me alot. Makes you really make sure your settings are right and rely on knowledge rather than luck.
Every time I think about what I want the final product to look like & how I will do it, I take less shots. You can do this while you are shopping, walking, driving, washing up, whatever. If you pick up your camera & go for a walk hoping to find something you will take more shots for sure. That could well be an amazing, surprising shot but it will take a lot more clicks to get there.
If you're a busy person try planning ahead & see how much time you save.
For me it's changed. I used to regularly delete ninety - odd per cent but now try to take less shots but make them 'count.' Apart from anything else, I only want to spend so much time editing.
I'm relatively new to this and find I don't like too many of my shots. The keepers are there to remind me of things I've tried and them improve on. I'm hoping over the months, with the fantastic feedback and inspiration my shots will improve.
In terms of photos I'm unconditionally pleased with, less than 0.01%. I've not yet taken a shot with the camera I bought in November that I am truly, completely happy with. At a rough count, I've taken between 5 and 10 photos in my life that I'm truly, completely happy with.
@peterdegraaff LOL!
I have days where I can take one or two shots and they all work out great, I can have days where I take hundreds and I'm not happy with any of them! all depends how much time I have to really stop and think about whether everything is perfect! at an all day wedding event I was at recently, I took 2000 shots and probably had about 350 which were album worthy. I am not as perfect as @peterdegraaff yet! :o)
> What about you?
Hmm, the event I shot last weekend, for instance, I shot ~600 frames over 4 hours, of which ~60 I threw away on the first pass for focus/framing issues, ~350 were publishable and a touch over 200 actually got published (though 30 of those were reduced to 6 HDR images). Which makes it about 50% keepers. 3 months ago it was more like 20%. Ideally I'd like to hit >75% but I'm getting there.
> And how long have you been into photography?
Last May, so, what? 8 months since I picked up a camera?
It depends on what I'm doing... sometimes (rarely!) I nail it on the first shot, more usually I'll take maybe 20-30 shots and be happy with a couple, and sometimes still I never get a shot to work out right. Just keep at it, it will come I promise :)
@jayhawkgrad I've been into photography since the late 1960's. My shot ratio has never changed from film to digital - I am delighted with 5 - 10% of my captures. And I carefully compose. When i say delighted, I mean that I am willing to share the image with others.
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BUT... that being said, I think through my shots BEFORE clicking away. In that 10% is also the double of a few poses that I will take. You know, for those that blinked or looked away at the wrong time....
I have a 2 month old and 22 month old, so I have a limited time where I can shoot right now. So, maybe I do spray and pray a little bit, just because I don't know how much time I'll get. But, regardless, I do think I'm becoming a little more efficient. :)
@grizzlysghost I'm sure if I were using film, I'd be much more picky, but I am super thankful for digital while I'm still learning the ropes! My mom was telling me about using her for SLR for yearbook and developing the film, and hoping it turned out, because there was only once chance to shoot particular events. That would be very nerve racking for me!
I still stuff up but see them as lessons learned lol
It all comes from knowing you camera and using the correct settings.
I do tend to shoot wide open (f/1.8-1.4) so when shooting that wide I end up with less keepers than say at f/2.8.
A lot more of my shots are SOOC or minimal PP now, which again has come from practice and learning. And I still have soooo much more to learn!!
There are some amazing photographers on here willing to share there knowledge
For me it depends.
If I am shooting models I will take around 300-400 in a two hour shoot. Of of those I will get it down to about 70-90, then out of those I will take it down to around 30 and out of those I will take it down to around 12.
And these shots are completely set-up, but I am very very very picky on these shoots.
on the other hand if I am shooting an event I will take around 2000 and out of that I will take it down to about 1200, then again down to around 600 or so.
To answer your question about how long have I been shooting.... Well it seems like forgever but really from around 2000 when I got my first digital camera and on a serious level for the last 3-4 years.
That's just me doing my project of course, if I'm ever taking pictures for anyone I usually take 200+ and try to narrow it down to 30 decent ones that I can narrow down from there on out.
1/ PPPPP: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance
2/ Think first, shoot second
Every time I think about what I want the final product to look like & how I will do it, I take less shots. You can do this while you are shopping, walking, driving, washing up, whatever. If you pick up your camera & go for a walk hoping to find something you will take more shots for sure. That could well be an amazing, surprising shot but it will take a lot more clicks to get there.
If you're a busy person try planning ahead & see how much time you save.
I have days where I can take one or two shots and they all work out great, I can have days where I take hundreds and I'm not happy with any of them! all depends how much time I have to really stop and think about whether everything is perfect! at an all day wedding event I was at recently, I took 2000 shots and probably had about 350 which were album worthy. I am not as perfect as @peterdegraaff yet! :o)
Hmm, the event I shot last weekend, for instance, I shot ~600 frames over 4 hours, of which ~60 I threw away on the first pass for focus/framing issues, ~350 were publishable and a touch over 200 actually got published (though 30 of those were reduced to 6 HDR images). Which makes it about 50% keepers. 3 months ago it was more like 20%. Ideally I'd like to hit >75% but I'm getting there.
> And how long have you been into photography?
Last May, so, what? 8 months since I picked up a camera?
Keep trying. Its only pixels so you can try a few options to see what you like.
When I am thinking it through, and adjusting, etc? 12 gets 1.
Not everything in my 365 is one of the "1".
And if it's a photo of me, then I'm REALLY critical!