"Shooting Ratio"
In July, so far, I have shot a total of 1738 shots.
Subtracting the wedding of 441 shots is 1297
166 of these photos have ended up posted to the web
230 of the wedding used
So we have (other than wedding) 166 used shots of 1297.
So the "useful" shots, of the total shots, becomes an amount of about 12.7 percent.
This is what is commonly referred to as your "shooting Ratio". Good Shots of Total Shots.
Some people get really hung up, or almost religious about this number. But it is just a number. What it does show is the amount of over shooting you do, to what you use. How is this important?
I have a personal quote, or maxim that states, "Show me a photographer, that thinks every shot they take is a prize winner, and I will show you a photographer with no quality standards."
It is almost not humanly possible, to overshoot too much. Of course you have minor considerations to contend with. But, unlike the days of film, it does not cost significant money to over shoot. We are essentially free to shoot as much as we like, and the only down side really, is the time it takes to edit them.
Often, it is the last shot that is the best for me, or seeing all that I shot, I wish I had taken a few more. So, there really is no excuse for not doing a bit of "overkill". If you are sure you will never use the edited photos, you can completely delete them, and not even worry about disc space.
My point is twofold. Shoot more, because you likely will get a better picture. AND Do not ever worry that it takes you 'so many' shots to get a 'good one'.
So shoot your hearts out and don't sweat it! :-)
In July, so far, I have shot a total of 1738 shots.
Subtracting the wedding of 441 shots is 1297
166 of these photos have ended up posted to the web
230 of the wedding used
So we have (other than wedding) 166 used shots of 1297.
So the "useful" shots, of the total shots, becomes an amount of about 12.7 percent.
This is what is commonly referred to as your "shooting Ratio". Good Shots of Total Shots.
Some people get really hung up, or almost religious about this number. But it is just a number. What it does show is the amount of over shooting you do, to what you use. How is this important?
I have a personal quote, or maxim that states, "Show me a photographer, that thinks every shot they take is a prize winner, and I will show you a photographer with no quality standards."
It is almost not humanly possible, to overshoot too much. Of course you have minor considerations to contend with. But, unlike the days of film, it does not cost significant money to over shoot. We are essentially free to shoot as much as we like, and the only down side really, is the time it takes to edit them.
Often, it is the last shot that is the best for me, or seeing all that I shot, I wish I had taken a few more. So, there really is no excuse for not doing a bit of "overkill". If you are sure you will never use the edited photos, you can completely delete them, and not even worry about disc space.
My point is twofold. Shoot more, because you likely will get a better picture. AND Do not ever worry that it takes you 'so many' shots to get a 'good one'.
So shoot your hearts out and don't sweat it! :-)
Nice topic! Without doing the precise math, I'd say that my typical ratio is about 1:10. Even shooting with the same settings I usually take two - three shots of each scene. Each adjustment adds the same number of additional images. Shooting sport or very dynamic scenes, I take tens of shots and choose just a few of them later for development and posting. Strangely enough, for my latest "on the run. Toronto" series I probably used about 35% or even more of all the images (most of the scenes were dynamic and I had only a very short window of opportunity to take them while my camera was not able to take sequential shots).
ReplyDeleteIt does tend to vary, with the subject with sports as you suggest tending to be much larger, and street much smaller.
ReplyDeleteWeddings are a special case, as I took the wedding I shot, out of the mix on purpose.
I offer a lot more of the shots, with the reason being, that though I would otherwise toss some that have one or more people looking badly, in group shots. I know that A) someone will be amused by it, and B) it may be the only shot of the bunch that someone likes the pose of a certain person. SO I give them almost all.
Oshi Shikigami I do not do weddings ;) but for family and friends events I use a similar to yours attitude. As a matter of fact I purposely try some of my friends looking funny but make sure there are other shots where they look ok.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's a great idea! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt occurred to me, Michael Mossiagin, that telling someone who is camera shy, to purposefully clown for the camera, would likely loosen them up quote a bit! Great ida to brake the ice, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteI figure if 10% of my shots are ones I am any more than ok with then I am doing pretty well.. Experiments are closer to 1%... Documentary style gets 20% or so...
ReplyDeleteKevin Vincent, I think we are close on that. And with a lot of "serious" photographers as well.
ReplyDelete