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02/05/2003 12:13:01 PM · #1 |
From another thread, but it got me curious:
How often do you use your camera ?
Is it just for dpc entries or do you use it for other purposes ? (weird question I know but I wonder some days)
When you take a picture of a 'thing' how many shots do you take ? For challenges ? Normally ? |
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02/05/2003 12:16:08 PM · #2 |
I normally take my camera out with me, but am limited to 30 or so shots because of the mem card I use. Normally when taking shots for challenges I fill up the card, have a look, and if there isnt a shot I like in there, i got and take another 30.
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02/05/2003 12:19:17 PM · #3 |
on an average night (maybe every 3 days or so) i'll shoot about 20-40 shots ... photography is kinda like therapy to me ... and normally outta those shots i keep about 10 or so ... then shoot some more ...
I dont have a sudio or anything ... but my kitchen counter island thing works pretty well to set up a macro shot with the desk lamp i've rigged up ...
if the afternoon is nice ... I'll talk a walk in my neighborhood and in addition to getting fresh and air exercise - i'll shoot the trees and landscapes and stuff like that and come home with about 30 shots or so ... I think that's what i had last time.
have a great day everyone!
Message edited by author 2003-02-05 12:19:34.
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02/05/2003 12:24:07 PM · #4 |
| It depends chiefly on the challege and on the idea for my submission. Sometimes the IMHO satisfying result is among the first 5 shots and sometimes 100 attempts are not enough. Especially for experimental subjects I need much more time. For example a photo with a blurred subject requires much more attempts than a landscape shot. |
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02/05/2003 12:28:45 PM · #5 |
When setting up a still life, I've been known to take 50 or more shots. I usually have trouble with lighting, so just keep working at it until I get the effect and quality I want. After all this, I probably keep only 3 or 4. I guess when you really think of it, this is a high rate of failure, but having not had any formal training in photography, I'm learning as I go. That's what I like about digital photography - it doesn't cost me any money to take bad photos - but I guess it ends up slowing down the learning curve.
When I take outdoor or other shots, the number of photos is less - 10-20 or so. I usually keep more, but not all of them.
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02/05/2003 12:32:33 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by nds:
It depends chiefly on the challege and on the idea for my submission. Sometimes the IMHO satisfying result is among the first 5 shots and sometimes 100 attempts are not enough. Especially for experimental subjects I need much more time. |
I've experienced this too - sometimes the best shots come from the earlier ones. I used to do still lifes only for the challenges, but now I'm actually experimenting for my own pleasure and have actually had some pretty nice successes (see my link below).
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02/05/2003 12:32:34 PM · #7 |
for a set-up shot, i usually take a few pics, download them, adjust settings/arrangement and repeat until i'm happy. sometimes that means a lot of shots, other times it doesn't.
when i'm outside with the intention of taking photos, i take tons. and then some. i went out for an afternoon the other weekend and ended up with about 150 photos. i still haven't gone back through all of them, but i think i'll end up post-processing and keeping around 10 of them. |
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02/05/2003 12:36:06 PM · #8 |
| I shoot about 30 shots a week, then about every other to 3 weeks, I shoot about 300 or so in a week, depending on where I want to go, and if the challenge takes me anywhere cool :) |
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02/05/2003 12:40:01 PM · #9 |
Not as much as I'd like. My camera is so small and compact I have taken to carrying it everywhere, but having it with me and actually stopping to use it are two different things.
I rush too much. I'm also too lazy. For instance, I'm on my way to work, see a shot that could be nice, but I'm on a bridge (can't really stop there) so I calculate where I could park to get back to the shot, how late am I for work, is the shot really worth it, etc.... By the time I come up with a conclusion the shot is a mile behind me and I'm standing in front of the timeclock at work. After I clock in I realize, gee, I had a few minutes to spare after all.
I like setting up still lifes. Usually I'll get a dozen or so pics and check if the lighting and setup is working at all. If it is I will work a couple dozen more to see if I can get one I like. If its not, I'll scrap the idea and move on to something else. But then I will study the ones that don't work for a while, and see if there is a way to improve them. |
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02/05/2003 12:49:26 PM · #10 |
I usually shoot between 500 and 1000 shots in a week depending on the weather outside. I would guess maybe 5% of them are taken because of these challenges. I figure since I paid so darn much for this equipment, I need to be getting as much use out of it as possible.
Greg
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02/05/2003 12:52:09 PM · #11 |
For challenge photos, I have shot as few as two and as many as about 250 for more difficult situations.
Still life photos usually cause me to shoot more than when i'm out and about. A still life scenario gives me total control of the enviroment, so I have a lot more options to 'try' before I find my final shot.
The number of shots I take also depends on what my objective is for the photograph. If I'm just shooting for fun, I usually don't take more than one or two shots of a specific subject. If I'm shooting with the intention of making prints, I will often shoot more. If I don't get what I'm looking for in that shoot, I can make estimations of when I need to go back and try it again based on available and directional light and weather.
The number of shots that I take of any given subject for any particular reason seems to be dropping at the moment. I'm not sure if it is because I'm becoming more comfortable with my experience or if i'm not pursuing a subject hard enough.
One note of interest is that I do NOT trust my LCD on my camera. If the image looks great on the LCD, it may not look so great on the computer screen. If I get a shot that looks great on the LCD, I usually shoot it at least a few more times to make sure I have a great shot when I get home :)
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02/05/2003 12:55:05 PM · #12 |
I'm a professional portrait photographer that travels alot. I usually
spend 2-3 weeks in every city I have a project in. So I have a lot of time
on my own to shoot stock photos for my own use. Usually shoot 100-200
misc. photos a week, keeping probably 60-70% of them. |
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02/05/2003 12:57:11 PM · #13 |
At the moment I use it only for dpc. The weather is so awful and there weren't any events for a couple of months.
From march to november I make photo's for a historical group, for their yearbook (couple of hundred copies) and exhibitions. I've got do to some portraits and stuff next week, I just ordered a lumiquest ultrasoft (goes on the upright positioned flash, bounces and spreads it at 90 degrees and sends it trough a diffuser) for that. In the spring they want photo's of old agricultural tools and machines and trough the year photo's of buildings and stuff like that. I am not the only one who does this as I am still learning. :)
For my own pleasure I like to photograph family, old buildings and streets, motorcycle races (got vip access to a motogp event) & events & friends, animals/nature (haven't done that much yet) and events with classic cars and such. And don't forget dpc assignments and ideas I get from that while doing normal stuff.
I normally shoot until my card full, that is about 150 photo's in 6mp mode or 240 in 3mp mode. A lot of bracketing that I review on my monitor, but I am getting experienced enough to set the right exposure compensation and select the right frame from the three bracketed shots.
For the historical group (I am not a member) it is about 5-10 photo's per individual subject (different angles and exposures).
For dpc it varies between 400 shots to 1. The windmill is one of 15, the current entry is one of 49, the craftmanship is one of 6, the macro was one of 300, the four was one of 500........
But in the winter it sucks around here, so I only do dpc and I did about 100 around Christmas. When I am going on holiday I will need external storage, because I am likely to do more than 1000. :)
But the reason for so many photo's is because I still suck at photography. Reading National Geographic's Field Guide delivered instant improvement and so did the critique club thing on dpc. I expect a book about portraits and a book about landscapes this week. :)
Message edited by author 2003-02-05 13:46:31.
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02/05/2003 01:17:39 PM · #14 |
I'm mostly shooting for DPC at the moment, though if it would snow on a decent day (twice this year we have had snow on a Monday which thaws before the weekend) I would be up in the local hills in a flash. Once the weather improves I expect to be out most weekends taking shots.
In March the motor racing season starts again so I'll be at the track about once a month. I have only attended one event with my 602 and nearly filled the microdrive (400+ shots!).
As for how many shots, the 400+ at Donington was the most in a single day. I'll probably take over 100 on any day out, 50 or so on a short walk. DPC shoots vary wildly. My road sign entry was the first shot (and given that the LCD viewfinder was completely black I was lucky to get a shot that was half decent).
"Studio" shoots tend to be a long process of 'take 2 or 3 shots - download - adjust - repeat' and can last for days.
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02/05/2003 01:25:26 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by bod:
In March the motor racing season starts again so I'll be at the track about once a month. I have only attended one event with my 602 and nearly filled the microdrive (400+ shots!).
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602's rule the trackside! ;)
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02/05/2003 01:42:24 PM · #16 |
I shoot about 200 shots a week, of maybe 40 subjects, very few of which are for dpc (and none of which are set-up or studio shots). However, this weekend, it being Chinese New Year, I shot several hundred more than usual.
I keep them all (burned to CD) and usually find about 20% to play with in post-production. Of those, on an average week I'll probably use 20-25 for stock, and another 4-5 for "art" (i.e. for my walls or gifts or whatever).
I need to shoot about double or triple this, I think, and I aim to get to 500 shots a week average by the early spring.
Message edited by author 2003-02-05 13:43:12.
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02/05/2003 02:10:34 PM · #17 |
i shoot all the time. no specific numbers i could give you. But I like to keep it pretty diverse.
For example, I've been doing some model shoots on an exchange basis. I also like to hit the street do photojournalism and architecture. I take my camera on all my trips. then there are 'around the house' occasions.
i shoot alot for dpc .. i like the structure it gives to my life, lol. It's a good excuse to try a topic i maybe hadnt thought of or tried. most of the time i'll do a lot of variations, i.e. 50+ of a given subject, but other times it will be much fewer.
ironically, my pic that did best, was the only shot of that subject i took; I was just walking down the street and said hey that looks neat. lol.
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02/05/2003 02:13:30 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by mcmurma:
I rush too much. I'm also too lazy. For instance, I'm on my way to work, see a shot that could be nice, but I'm on a bridge (can't really stop there) so I calculate where I could park to get back to the shot, how late am I for work, is the shot really worth it, etc.... By the time I come up with a conclusion the shot is a mile behind me and I'm standing in front of the timeclock at work. After I clock in I realize, gee, I had a few minutes to spare after all. |
:-) Been there, done that - many times.....
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02/05/2003 02:23:07 PM · #19 |
I've seen a couple of responses in this thread that mention keeping photos for stock photography. This is an area that I want to explore also. I've been building a list of stock photography agencies, and know that I have to build up a suitable portfolio.
To the members here who work in stock photography - what kind of photos do you keep as stock? And I know this should be in its own thread - are you listed with an agency and have specific assignments to complete?
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02/05/2003 02:26:30 PM · #20 |
I'm trying to get better at taking shots using my Powershot G1. Really wish now that I had waited for the G2 because the G1 doesn't allow any faster than 1/500 unless you are using F8 - it's ridiculous!
Anyway, most shots are taken when I spend the weekends at events like horse shows, dog shows, etc. Then I fill up my IBM microdrive (340 MB) each day.
I expect to take more pictures as the weather gradually gets warmer. For sure, digital frees me up to take shots of anything & everything, which I wouldn't attempt with a film camera. |
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02/05/2003 02:32:34 PM · #21 |
I do not get to shoot as much as I would like to. Most of what I do is for dpc, but I also take a lot of family pictures. Generally, my camera goes with me whereever I go, "just in case," but if I am by myself, it is difficult to stop and take pictures, because I usually have my little boy with me, and I don't like to get out of the vehicle and leave him in it by himself. As a result, most of mine is done at night when he is asleep.
As far as numbers -- not nearly enough!!!!! For set ups, sometimes as many as 70, but if i'm just out and about, not that many. A couple of each subject at various exposures, etc. Like Setz said, I don't trust my LCD. I have found that if it looks good on the LCD, it WILL be too dark on the 'puter. So, I am still trying to learn. |
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02/05/2003 02:40:18 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by mcrael:
I've seen a couple of responses in this thread that mention keeping photos for stock photography. This is an area that I want to explore also. I've been building a list of stock photography agencies, and know that I have to build up a suitable portfolio.
To the members here who work in stock photography - what kind of photos do you keep as stock? And I know this should be in its own thread - are you listed with an agency and have specific assignments to complete? |
For myself, I do some graphic design work, and have projects of my own, so I try to save my own "stock" shots for later use. Maybe some clouds conveniently arranged to fit onto a business card or cassette, or a landmark which would make a good greeting card. And with online "galleries" available, I've started saving some of my shots to prepare as prints for sale...
Someplace I've seen a link to a listing of stock agencies (including some which take submissions) but can't remember now where I saw it...you might check if there was a forum thread regarding stock photos.
I found an example: Here's a business card where the art was derived from this photo of a house a few blocks from where I live.
Message edited by author 2003-02-05 15:54:18. |
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02/05/2003 03:12:08 PM · #23 |
regarding the 'trusting the LCD' issue:
i have learned only to use my LCD to see if i got the frame i wanted.
if your camera has a histogram function, you can use that to see if you really did a good exposure. learning to read a histogram is one of the best things a digital photogapher can learn how to do.
i'll post a link to how to read one if people want ... I think Gordon also has some good histogram links ...
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02/05/2003 03:13:28 PM · #24 |
There are a number of good sites around stock photography. But I still think the best resource is "Photographer's Market 2003" and your local Yellow Pages (if in a major metropolitan area).
There is also a useful book called "SellPhotos.Com" (//www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0898799449/qid=1044475885/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-9406507-0602341?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) which has some good tips (avoid the first 60 or so pages about the web as it is out of date).
Message edited by author 2003-02-05 15:14:21.
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02/05/2003 03:21:20 PM · #25 |
I take pictures just for the heck of it. Shoot, I'll be sitting on my couch watching TV and for no reason at all grab my camera and start snapping shots all around the room. I probably take approximately 100-150 shots a week. If I find a subject I like (not for DPC) I will take up to 10 shots of so just to make sure I got what I wanted. When I am shooting for DPC I will fill up my 256MB CF card. The sorry thing is that out of the total 256MB card I sometimes have to start all over again. :-| That's why I love Digital sooooo much! It is so much fun to experiment.
With all of that being said, It is mostly luck when I come off with a pretty good picture.
Bill Miller (wackybill) |
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