tcorzett wrote:
Yes, I keep EVERY photo that I take... currently there are 296,282 photos filling 1.12TB of space. I shoot mostly JPG, but will shoot RAW+JPG when it's a benifit. For deadline work it's just too time consuming to process RAW files and I have a fairly good grasp on exposures for what I'm shooting.
-Todd...
Yeh, I should have explained my statement better when I said "keepers". In truth, the only shots I ever actually delete are the complete stuff ups - my thumb, my foot, my nostrils, the sky, the ground.
The rest I just don't process. In essence, by "keepers" I meant those I actually do post processing on. I only shoot RAW.
Unfortunately, judging by the very few views and comments I get here, I probably should delete everything though.
tcorzett wrote:
I'd say on average I shoot about 2000 shots per day... I tag the ones that I find acceptable... which tends to be around 10% (200 per day). Over a course of a weekend I get 15 gallery images and maybe one portfolio shot.
What is your definition of a keeper? A shot that is in focus and not blurred/half in the frame/or botched in some other form or fashion? Or just one that looks nice to you?
Matt82 wrote:
What is your definition of a keeper? A shot that is in focus and not blurred/half in the frame/or botched in some other form or fashion? Or just one that looks nice to you?
Honestly, I don't have a definition of 'keeper'... and actually think it's a term that shouldn't be used for comparisons (as a 'keeper' is different for everyone). Technically I keep everything
Because I shoot so much, it is actually easier to tag the 'acceptable' images (ie the ones that look nice to me) for further processing, rather than removing unacceptable ones. Many times I'll have 2 or 3 shots that would all be 'keepers' (based on the in focus, not half in frame), but I only process one of them further (the best one). So for the most part, I only process what I think is nice (and isn't a duplicate)... about 10% of the total take. Since these are the images that I do things with, I guess I would label them as 'keepers' if you needed a definition.
-Todd...
PS - it also depends on the event... this weekend at NHRA I shot 3255 shots and processed 526... so it's up to 16%.
Ah, it sounds like you get more keepers than I do based on the in-focus, in the frame where intended, etc. I am new to all this and don't have a true sports camera (40D), so that might be part of it but I'm sure technique and overall knowledge are the major culprits as to why I don't get as many good shots as maybe I should. Last year with a Rebel XT I got a bunch of garbage shots, but I learned from it and got a lot more decent shots this year, but still have a bunch that need to go in the trash bin. Maybe due to the new camera or due to me improving some over the year, I don't know. I was just interested in a comparison between a pro and a hack like myself as far as # of good, useable shots overall so that i had a figure on what to hope for and set as a goal in the future Your shots are great.
Do you shoot in burst mode or single shot? Full manual mode or shutter (?) priority? I have been using burst mode and full manual mode, but I am not sure if that's the best set up. I'm guessing you shoot in RAW? Any help is appreciated. Thanks,
Matt82 wrote:
Do you shoot in burst mode or single shot? Full manual mode or shutter (?) priority? I'm guessing you shoot in RAW?
I shoot in hi-speed (8.5fps) mode, typically in two-shot bursts. I shoot in TV (shutter priority) mode most of the time, but will go to manual mode if exposures get tricky... also, I tend to shoot -1/3rd stop underexposed (to save the highlights in the bright California sun). I shoot 90% JPG (no time to process RAW for deadline work), but much like shooting in manual mode, will shoot RAW+JPG when conditions get tricky (like this weekend when NHRA ran at night).
I find that the best modes/settings to use are the ones that work for you. I prefer TV (shutter) over AV (aperture) or Manual because I'm mostly looking to control the shutter speeds to stop/show motion. As for exposure, since the light doesn't change too much mid-day in California (not like it's in/out of clouds, etc.) so once I know the TV is working I just keep it there... but will tweak exposure compensation a little (-1/3rd in mornings/afternoons and -2/3rd mid-day... typically).
The big thing is to get to know your camera and how it like to expose things. It just takes time and experience really, but it's something that can be figured-out.
XFBO wrote:
do you save both the original AND pp'ed image
I save one copy of the original image that will NEVER be touched. When I'm going to work on an image I make a copy and start from there. I tend to work in folders for each client, so will make one for just the unedited images. I then have .PSD files with layers, etc... if I'm doing major editing (like combining multiple exposure) I will often have several versions saved as well.
In general... storage is cheap... especially compared to time. I'd rather need an extra 100MB for some files, then have to go back and re-create something. Also, I don't like the idea of deleting things... you never know when you'll delete the wrong file.
llala wrote:
What is your favourite setup (shutter speed, aperture, iso) for shots like #1 with Valentino? I suppose you used your 500/f4.
That one was taken with the 500mm f/4, yes... but a similar shot can be taken with a 70-200mm. The advantage for using the longer lens is you can get a bit more in front of the subject. As for my favorite setup... it depends on the shot. I tend to shoot between 1/250 and 1/640 most of the time... I find for me 1/320 gives some good motion with decent keeper rates for the 3/4 head-on shots. I don't really look at aperture much, but will adjust the ISO up from 100 if things get close to f/5.6 or so.
