Is Photography More Luck than Skill?

[PhotoHobbyist]

It seems my keeper shots are just dumb luck and only happen 1% of the time. Often times I delete 90% of my shots upon review. There are times/places I think will produced a great shot, but don't. Other times a good shot just happens unplanned and unexpectedly.

Is it just me, or is just photography just dumb luck? Would mastery of photoshop increase my odds?

Here is a dumb luck shot. Taken through a glass window pane on my balcony with a Canon SX720 point-n-shoot from twelve feet away. The bright sun on the railing caused the background to black out and perfectly lit the underside of the green anole. The exposure and focus happened to be perfect. The green anole happened to posed for me with a display that lasted a fraction of a second.

 

[21limited]

For wildlife… it’s not about dumb luck, it’s about practices that increase your odds. call it smart luck. Doing everythign right in the wild is not a guarantee of great image. Burst mode certainly helps. For wildlfe 90% would be really good. I’ve shot 800 images and kept 8 (1%). I’m guessing that I wouldn’t have 8 images as good as the ones I got, without shooting all the others.

 

[webestang64]

I consider myself a very skilled photographer (professionally since 1985). For one thing I do not shoot digital so I have no images to "delete". I am very selective in my shooting and have very few "luck" shots ( which I call "right time, right place"). Out of a 36 exp roll of film I usually only not like maybe 1 or 2 images.
I think it really just depends on what type of photographer you are. When I used to develop film for the St. Louis Blues hockey photographer he shot a few dozen rolls at a game and maybe use 1-10 shots.

 

[cgw]

Shot 35mm and 120, shoot digital and some film now but the 24-36, 15-12-10 shot discipline stuck. Still visualize shots with digital and don't shoot till I can "see" the picture. Baffled by the "spray and pray" crew that never takes the camera away from their eye unless they're chimping.

 

[Jeff15]

Most of the time it's being in the right place at the right time, good luck ...

 

[smoke665]

Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity". This quote, attributed to Roman philosopher Seneca, is a reminder that you make your own luck. Post processing skills are capable of "saving" a lot of shots, but you'll soon tire of all the extra work. Read, lean the basics, slow down, observe, and practice, you'll soon see you SOOC keep rate improve.

 

[21limited]

I’m not sure it takes less planning to use burst mode. It’s more about fast twitch animals, and catching them at the exact right momoent. On the contrary, I probably try more different positions, spend more time getting the background I want and the sun at a good angle than 99% of the people who are out shooting with me. I’d post examples, but, not my thread.

I’ve been through this enough time to know people won’t change what they do. That said, I can’t support the notion that they put more into getting their one shot than I do getting my burst. There’s just no reason for saying that. I would say the first shot in my burst is the keeper 25% of the time. That’s the one I would have captured shooting one offs. The other 75% are taken from some where else in the 8-23 shot burst. The careful plan everything and take one shot guy would miss those. Let’s not get all crazy and guess they are doing something I’m not. My burst takes 3 seconds at most. In that time, head position may change, expression may change. Especially with small twitchy birds

And it costs me nothing but bit of time picking the best images in post.

 

[zombiesniper]

Pretty simple to break down.

If you take the time to learn your gear and what is required to get the shot = skill.

If you just get a camera, point shoot and pray = luck.

It has nothing to do with how many shots you take in the moment.

 

[DanOstergren]

I can tell you from experience, it is a lot of hard work and skill to consistently create quality photos, and sometimes luck plays a small part. Mastery of Photoshop is an entirely separate skill, and good Photoshop skills usually won't turn a bad photo into a good one, and conversely bad Photoshop skills can ruin a good photo, but when the two skills are mastered and combined, it becomes a pretty formidable combination.

 

[cgw]

Mom always said, "You makes your own luck, kid."

 

[KJ_North]

I’ve shot 800 images and kept 8 (1%). I’m guessing that I wouldn’t have 8 images as good as the ones I got, without shooting all the others.

That statement is so true. I find the same thing shoot shoot and shoot more. Then see what you got some are what you are after and most are not. I find with birds especially they are too close or too far away or standing still or flying away. Just so many variables and virtually no time to make camera adjustments before they are gone so you do your best to capture them as best you can. However for me that's the fun of it. Getting home downloading the images and hoping something was a keeper. I have struggled lately as the weather has been overcast and dingy every morning on a weekend that i have free. But still I see what I can get.

 

[cgw]

That statement is so true. I find the same thing shoot shoot and shoot more. Then see what you got some are what you are after and most are not. I find with birds especially they are too close or too far away or standing still or flying away. Just so many variables and virtually no time to make camera adjustments before they are gone so you do your best to capture them as best you can. However for me that's the fun of it. Getting home downloading the images and hoping something was a keeper. I have struggled lately as the weather has been overcast and dingy every morning on a weekend that i have free. But still I see what I can get.

 

[cgw]

Yup, I can't take canonical pronouncements. What works, works--simply put. All my cameras are set to single shot which suits my style. Don't shoot birds, bunnies or any wildlife--zero interest.

 

[smoke665]

Don't shoot birds, bunnies or any wildlife--zero interest.

Obviously genre makes a difference, in technique

 

[cgw]

Obviously genre makes a difference, in technique

Totally. So many different styles, experiences, cameras, tastes and abilities here. Afraid I bristle when anyone starts getting proscriptive in total ignorance of others. YMMV, as always.