Focus On Lighting Photos Focus on the Fundamentals.pdf

how many pictures shouLd i shoot?
Good question, but not quite the right question. The better question
is how many pictures should you submit? The answer depends on for
whom you are working.
We are no longer limited by the cost of film and processing (especially
because hardly anyone shoots expensive 8-by-10-inch film anymore).
Buying extra gigabytes of flash RAM is getting cheaper daily. We shoot
as many pictures as we think we need, and then we submit as few as
possible. (Keep in mind, too, that downloading and editing takes time.
So although we don’t have the cost of film and processing, our time
counts, too.)
Consider these examples. Portrait photographers shoot as many
pictures as the patience of the subject allows, and then they submit
only the best for customer consideration. Notice that showing more
pictures does not always increase sales. Instead, only show pictures
with different moods and expression. If they are all good, people are
more likely to buy one of each.
Journalistic photographers shoot as many frames as time allows, and
then they submit most of the pictures to the picture editor. We don’t
know the final text yet and never know when our worst submission may
turn out to fit the text best vertically or horizontally. Mediocre pictures
sometimes win Pulitzer prizes if they appear in the right article.
Commercial photographers shoot an assignment until they get one
good picture. If they shoot more, the client just may pick the bad one.
Don’t give the client that chance.
Developing photographers don’t yet know what they do well and
should shoot everything they can. Submit your best to as many forums
as possible: your school, local camera clubs, websites, neighborhood
art shows. Spread yourself around as much as possible; your local
school or camera club guru may be great, but not the guru for you. If
you haven’t yet found your direction, your main job is to keep looking
for it. Your own guru may be right down the hall in your school or may
be running a website 8,000 miles away. Good luck!
In any shoot,
try to save a
few shots for
experimentation.
Push yourself.
It will keep
you fresh,
and often you
will surprise
yourself!
There’s More Than <strong>On</strong>e Way to Get Things Done
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