From 600 shots, there are only 3 that i like.....

Head in the Clouds

From a 3 day trip away, I took over 600 shots. These are the only three a even vaguely like. Any comments welcome.......
Does this happen to others? Take 100's of shots and get hardly anything?
I NEED INSPIRATION!!!!:wxwax

Head in the Clouds

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Head in the Clouds

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GREAPER

They are nice kate (maybe a bit bright?).


It happens to me every time... Quality by volume, thats my motto

miketaylor01

Well I like these three shots also. In answer to your question of if anyone else takes alot of pics but doesnt get much they like.. Yes. The only way to get better is to practice and take lots and lots of shots. The more shots you take the better you learn how your camera reacts to different situations and it will become that much easier with time to just know how to set your camera for certain situations without having to think about it. I am definitely not there yet, but have gotten very comfortable with my camera in a very short period of time. Also, I take tons of photos that I hate. But thats the great thing about digital. Its free. So there is no reasont o get upset about not getting a good shot unless you think you just didnt take enough .

About your pictures. Just a minor thing but it appears to me that the cafe window and the sunset shot both need a little bit of rotation. Not quite level. Im not sure why, but this was the first thing that I noticed about them before even the composition. Something just seemed to be off about them both and I think that is it.

Keep on shooting and posting. You are doing great. No reason to get down about 597 shots you dont like.

Sam

AussieKate wrote:

From a 3 day trip away, I took over 600 shots. These are the only three a even vaguely like. Any comments welcome.......
Does this happen to others? Take 100's of shots and get hardly anything?

Never happens to me. I just got back from Death Valley with over 400. I got dirt, fuzzy objects, lens flare, blown out stuff, dark stuff. But I got something in every shot!

I NEED INSPIRATION!!!!

I done seen your photo, you are an inspiration!

JoRobert

These are all very cool! I'm lucky if I get 1 good shot out of 1,000. But its fun trying.

photocat

Yes Kate, I do that too. I came back from a day in London with 300 pics, so I can really choose. I will end up with maybe 10 good ones, and 150 worth to go in my personal travel log. It depends on what you need them for.
I am a strong believer in "Take 100 to have one good!!!"
Especially as Mike also says: it is free, and you learn from mistakes.

I also have this funny thing that six months ago, I thought I had some decent pictures. But if I look at them now, I think they are lousy.
I took some 3 months ago that I thought were decent, yet when I compare with what I do now, and with some of the stuff that is posted here, I sigh in deep concern.

ginger_55

Aussie Kate, I do like the 3 that you like. It is possible I might like a few more, too.

However, this is for you to choose. Some people spend hours setting up a shot, don't shoot much per good shot, others shoot a gazillion photos expecting that one good shot is worth however much time (and film) it takes. There were articles written on this subject in the 70s when I was getting into this stuff. I preferred, and followed, that shoot as many as I could afford. (It is often a photojournalistic approach) My father, who traveled extensively so shot scenics and stuff of his travels. Actually much more mundane shots than yours Aussie Kate. He thought 10 shots was 9 too many of any subject, if a photographer were any good at all. And all subjects should produce photos worthy of framing and display.

My father and I discussed this extensively. He always had the last word as he was/is my father. However, the "last word" had no effect on me whatsoever. I did, and do, believe in taking as many photos as possible. To maybe get one, though I do prefer more, of course.

I just read about Henri Cartier Bresson being summoned to look at some colored slide work of his that had been found. He took one look and slashed the whole lot. Some collector lost out big time. It was pointed out in the article that Bresson did not accept any mediocrity in his work. (I am kinder to myself, I accept really bad stuff, as you say, not usually realizing it at the time, actually someone else said it, I think). I just got back from Barnes and Noble, where I "glanced" at some photography magazines.

I really do love the shots you came back with. What was your goal? Like when I went to DC, my basic goal was family photos, when my father went around the world, getting up before dawn to photograph, his goal was to get WOW type scenics, often of areas I thought were probably available on postcards. He derived great pleasure from his photography, taking few photos but going through a lot of set up and planning. He also did his own color printing, and this was in the old days of the 70s.

So, it is a matter of the school of thought. Sid once said that he had taken many, many photos and not had one that was Challenge worthy. He said that on dgrin, I remember it well. And we all know that Sid is very good, but he is more of the Bresson school. (And when he entered, he tended to win, smile. I often think the real skill is in the editing.)

g

MainFragger

Volume helps...
If for no other reason that it sometimes takes a while to see what you really want out of a picture. I have often shot dozens of shots of something trying to get it right before I realized settings weren't the only issue, and I needed to change my concept of how I was shooting it.

The biggest thing I find this a problem with is bugs, animals and people. I have recently found that getting someone or something to give you even 3 minutes of their time to get a good photo is very difficult. And since I shoot in a lot of situations where I have to switch between manual and auto focus, sometimes If i forget to switch beforehand, then I missed the shot.

I don't know what the average person shoots, but I can shoot 300-500 images at an event that I am filming. In about a year of ownership of my current camera, I'm coming up on 30,000 images by the end of the month.

In case anyone hasn't already noticed, I like macrophotography a lot. But my images are not what I consider stunning for two reasons...1) My equipment is limited to F8.0... 2) I use natural and built-in flash lighting.

I am hoping the Cokin ring flash I just got helps my lighting sitchiation a bit. I haven't really tried it on flowers yet.

MainFragger

MainFragger

gubbs

Kate,

Look at it the other way, if you get 3 pictures a day your pleased with you're doing well

The important bit is to realize why you do / don't like them. Keep looking and playing with the other 597, I bet you'll find more!

ginger_55

Yes, I sometimes, for various reasons, work up a photo, an ignored one, months later, find out it was the best of the bunch.

That is one reason I hate to take things off of my hard drive. I backed up, then had a massacre of photos to CD day before yesterday. With this RAW it is even more difficult. Also got more memory, so have a working computer. Next, more hard drive, a few months, but it will be worth it.

Love to have my photos on my hard drive, rarely see the ones on CD.

Aussie Kate, I love that first photo, never would have thought to work it up, I think Gubbs is right, you probably have some other good ones...........ugly babies can be made beautiful, also the ugly duckling, just playing here.

couldn't sleep. Don't have photos left to work on, not quite true, have to finalize my Challenge entry which is not the best one, but is a great addition to me and my extended family. Silly Bird can say all sorts of things I can't.

Might be interesting to find out if anyone here is of the school that one should get it "right" the first time. Bet Andy comes close. But on the street, I just don't think that is possible, or practicle. On landscapes, Andy, what is your per shoot, per shot, whatever, success rate?

ginger

Wake up everybody!!!!