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06/14/2006 04:53:17 PM · #1 |
Hey all... Just curious how much time is usually spent on a finished photo that you would add to your portfolio? I realize that this would vary from person to person, but I have found myself to go out, snap a bunch of shots (truly snapshots in most cases -- no setup, just looking for something that might be interesting and taking a few shots).
Then, when I get home, everything gets dumped into a folder, but I really don't do any PP. For a while I was convinced that all of the photoshop adjustments weren't natural, so I would shy away from making a lot of changes. I don't know why, but I've judged my skill on my ability to snap a shot and have it look great (like most of the shots I see here on DPC). I've now come to realize that a lot of work is often done in PP, and that it's not necessarily a bad thing (although w/ proper planning and setup, a great shot can result with very little photoshop work).
So, to get back to my original question, how much time should I be spending on shots? I feel like i need to slow down to really begin to improve as a photographer. Now I go out, fill my mem card, and come home with quantity but not a lot of quality. Any advice? |
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06/14/2006 04:55:46 PM · #2 |
I think it's very personal. Sometimes I spend 3 hours shooting one setup, and sometimes it takes 3-4 hours to PP just one photo perfectly.
It just depends how much time you can or want to spend!
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06/14/2006 05:40:32 PM · #3 |
You always want to take the best picture with the optimum settings, focus and composition every time. Doing so greatly reduces the amount of post processing needed. In my case I find my camera does not capture the scene as it "really was" and normally spend more time post processing it than taking it in the first place.
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06/14/2006 05:55:41 PM · #4 |
It really depends on the photo and the reason I'm shooting it. For glamour/boudior shots I spend quite a bit of time fixing skin flaws and such. Typically, I spend more time on work for clients than I do for images I submit here.
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06/14/2006 05:57:22 PM · #5 |
I spend like probably, on average, four minutes on a photo before it's ready to be either printed, posted, or put on my website.
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06/14/2006 06:11:14 PM · #6 |
I dislike post processing as much as you do (probably because I'm not very good at it). I used to take snapshots and hope for the best before.But since I've started a portfolio and entered challenges I spend a *LOT* more time thinking about the shot, looking at what other people did with that idea, trying a few test snapshots - looking at what I liked/didn't like, thinking outside those lines -. And then going back and shooting some more with some setup modifications.
So I'd say about 8 hours research
2 hours trying to get the shot including setup
and 1-2 hours on Post processing.
But then again - I am in the software business and we always give inflated time estimates and don't meet them :D
Message edited by author 2006-06-14 18:12:49. |
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06/14/2006 06:12:12 PM · #7 |
If I'm doing something for stock I don't usually edit very extensively, maybe 5 or 7 minutes max. If I'm doing something for me personally I usually take longer, up to 45 minutes if I'm being really picky.
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06/14/2006 06:30:19 PM · #8 |
It depends on each photo, but a smart thing I've started doing now is to force a 1min look through the viewfinder, as long as the situation allow it. If I have time, I force myself to look extra carefully, to make sure composition and light works. Has helped me a great deal.
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06/14/2006 06:42:10 PM · #9 |
It helps if you had an artistic vision when you started out. Then you go in saying, well I'll do THIS. You could make 50 different versions, but after you go through most of them before, you pretty much know what will work again, and what you like.
I can get most happily done in less than 10 minutes. Sometimes I take hours to clone every bit, dodge/burn/sponge this and that, Neat image blah blah blah. But that's only for very special occasions ;-)
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06/14/2006 06:43:01 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by wavelength:
I can get most happily done in less than 10 minutes. Sometimes I take hours to clone every bit, dodge/burn/sponge this and that, Neat image blah blah blah. But that's only for very special occasions ;-) |
and that's very very true!
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06/14/2006 06:47:28 PM · #11 |
For DPC I would guess I spend on average about an hour, maybe an hour and a half in PP. However for club, regional and national competition I might spend several days tweaking an image. Sometimes I'll do 2 or 3 versions, then come back a week later and start to work one up a bit further.
I have been known to spend well over a week on a single image before now, especially when I produce A3 prints for exhibition. I print and reprint and reprint until I get the effect I want. For competition it has to be perfect.
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