Random question for DSLR owners. shutter presses?

[blackrose89]

How many actual individual shots do you actually take of a subject? Since I can't adjust my setting using a P&S I find I take a mass number photos of the same subject and come out with just a few that I like. Is this the same for DSLR owners?

Getting a DSLR soon so that's why I'm wondering.

 

[adversus]

Depends.

If it's a static subject, I take several usually. With different exposures/angles if possible. For action shots, I shot in continuous mode (6 fps) so I end up getting dozens of shots per subject usually.

My highest frame day was about 1100 shots. I saved about 150 of them. Hah.

 

[MTVision]

I think it depends. When your learning/practicing to shoot in manual you might take a bunch of shots of something. You have a lot more control with a DSLR - you decide where/what to focus on and you can choose how you want to expose the shot. I have hundreds of pictures of my daughters dolls because I used them to practice focus, OCF, and shooting in manual mode.

In the beginning you will probably do the same thing while you are learning but after that you won't need to rapidly take shots and hope 1 comes out good.

 

[Derrel]

It "depends" on a number of factors. Is the subject static and very easy to focus and compose on? Is the subject or photo I envision an EASY one to make look good, or is it a subject that demands CRITICAL or PRECISE focus, depth of field, lighting,etc,etc? SOme subjects are one-shot deals...like a high-jumper clearing the bar...there is one best time, and even at 8 fps, there's not another equally good shot to be had. The key is to shoot enough shots to actually do what we call "work the subject". Work it, then move along. On some subjects, like let's say natural landscapes (not urban landscapes), small changes in the lighting can make a huge difference. ON natural world close-up type shots,let's just say, for a real example, spider webs in September on a breezy day, or tall irises in May or June, one of the biggest factors besides lighting is wind making the subjects move around too much to be captured at smaller apertures. Often on subjects like that, there are a lot of rejected files that might look "good" on the LCD, but which when blown up are not quite what you'd wanted to get.

 

[Juice]

When shooting any kind of event where everything is changing, I use maybe 1 in 20 shots. If it isn't exactly what I wanted out of that shot, or something is out of place, I don't use it. Moments don't make themselves!

 

[bhop]

Depends on the subject. Sometimes just one, sometimes a few. Also depends how the photos look after I chimp the screen.

 

[Jeremy Z]

I think you'll probably shoot fewer pix when you get the SLR and gain some confidence.

The first time, you'll shoot a ton of them, and when you look at them later, you'll think: "wow, they ALL look great. Now, I have to sort through all these nearly identical pix until I find the right one. "

 

[Buckster]

42

 

[Vtec44]

If it's a paying client, I want to make sure I have a lot to work with later so I shoot the same pose in various framing and angles. You'll never know if the client blinks/eyes not completely open, hair strands on the face, etc. Other than a few shots to check the exposures at the beginning, I don't look at the preview after each shot so that may have something to do with it.