When out on a shoot, how many pictures should one take?

[pbelarge]

Hello,
When I had (still have 2) my point and shoot, I would take 200 pictures and delete 180 of them...it was good enough for what I was doing. I amassed about 73,000 work pictures in the last 9 years.

Now I have a Canon T1i. The problem I seem to have is I am picture crazy. I take mostly landscape type pictures, and I seem to take way too many pictures, yet I cannot stop because it seems like there are just so many great shots out there and I do not want to waste my limited photo time.

I now have slowed down a tiny bit, but I am taking raw/jpeg pictures. I have also been taking most in the last week or so in bracketed form.

On an average shoot, how many pictures would generally be considered correct?

Also, I am just getting into PP with PSE8. I know, don't ask, I am crazy.


Thanks ahead for the help!

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

There is no "correct" amount of images to take.

Take what you need. Leave the rest.

 

[Josh66]

Yeah, like Bitter said, there is no right answer. It just depends.

I mean, you could go out and take just one amazing picture and it would still be a good trip, even though you only took one picture.

Not taking a ****load of pictures isn't 'wasting' your photo time. Sorting through 200 pictures to find the 20 good ones is.

Stop and really think about what you're doing. You'll probably come home with less pictures, but you'll have more good ones.

 

[pbelarge]

Thanks Bitter

When out shooting, do you ever consider that the PP is going to be a bear due to all of the photos?

How does one go about choosing which photos to PP? I have a 24 inch screen, so I get a decent look at them.

I am the world leading photo deleter :er:, and would like to loose that designation some day.

 

[Cass]

I agree. Take as many as you like and the ones you don't like just delete. I too have a habit of taking way too many pics. A lot of them usually aren't anything special but I always end up keeping most if not all of them. I would love to see some of your landscape shots. I love those type of shoots.

 

[pbelarge]

I mean, you could go out and take just one amazing picture and it would still be a good trip, even though you only took one picture.

Not taking a ****load of pictures isn't 'wasting' your photo time. Sorting through 200 pictures to find the 20 good ones is.

I know I have a lot to learn, following your advice is probably worthy, but I have yet to be able to determine when in the field if the picture I actually shot is any good.
Hence I take a lot, hoping for the law of average to kick in.

 

[pbelarge]

I agree. Take as many as you like and the ones you don't like just delete. I too have a habit of taking way too many pics. A lot of them usually aren't anything special but I always end up keeping most if not all of them. I would love to see some of your landscape shots. I love those type of shoots.

I am glad to see you also take loads of shots.


When I learn to load the photos here, I will post some. I just love to be critiqued...layball:

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

The better you get in "seeing" good compositions, and interesting subjects in the viewfinder, the fewer images you will take. In the begining, most new photogs think everything is interesting. Your eye will develope over time.

 

[pbelarge]

The better you get in "seeing" good compositions, and interesting subjects in the viewfinder, the fewer images you will take. In the begining, most new photogs think everything is interesting. Your eye will develope over time.

Bitter
It is funny you should mention that...I have noticed through my bad shots what is not very good composition. And yes, it has lead me from taking like 800 photos in a shoot down to 600

 

[MrRamonG]

There is no "correct" amount of images to take. . .

Bitter is incorrect. 203

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

it has lead me from taking like 800 photos in a shoot down to 600

PROGRESS!

 

[Felix0890]

Exactly 42. No more, no less.

 

[redtippmann]

Well the real number is 42. But on average if I use a strobe, which I am using more and more, I take about 120-150 at a basketball game. I keep around 27. If I don't use a flash I bump my D2H up to 8fps and take around 900 frames. I still only keep around 27.

 

[DennyCrane]

I always take more of a particular shot than I feel is necessary. That may be 3, it may be a dozen. Memory cards are cheap and recreating a moment often impossible.

 

[Felix0890]

If you would shoot 42, you would be able to keep 42. Silly earthling.