Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/08/15

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Subject: Thoughts and pitfalls on keeper percentages
From: "BIRKEY, DUANE" <dbirkey@hcjb.org.ec>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 10:39:53 -0500

I hadn't planned on responding to the keeper thread, but I had some 
guests at my home last night and after looking at all of my framed 
prints, said "they are really nice, but how many do you have to take to 
get these shots?"  I was a bit annoyed by this because it implies that 
by merely shooting a lot of film, I get great images.  I know that with 
many of my people shots, I have only a couple negatives or slides of 
that image.  And I don't have to take a lot film to get great landscape 
images.

Granted I do shoot a lot of film, most are in camera dupes, but the 
mistaken assumption by many who don't know better is that shooting lots 
of film increases your percentage of great shots.   It does if you're 
shooting great subjects in great light and if you've got a good eye for 
composition and your subjects are cooperating.  With uncooperative  
subjects and lousy light, sometimes  you have to keep shooting, hoping 
you'll get something usable when it's all over with.

I find with shooting un-posed people on location that I may only get 
one or two shots of them that  truly capture their emotion at some 
spontaneous moment.  In posed situations I figure I've got 4 or 5 shots 
before they really get annoyed.  The first shot is usually too stiff,  
so I've got to get them to relax for the 2nd or 3rd, and by the 4th and 
5th they are annoyed that I'm taking so many shots.  There are subjects 
that will let you shoot a whole roll of them, but most won't.  So... 
you better get it right early.   I've photographed people where I knew 
it was hopeless from the start but I've lucked into some great shots by 
going ahead and shooting them anyhow.

Sometimes I can spend a whole day at a market and only 1 really great 
shot.  But I'll shoot only a few frames.  

The pitfall that many fall into when they talk about keeper percentages 
 is that they begin concentrating on great singular images rather than 
a body of work that fully illustrates the situation or tells the story. 
 I find that I get caught in that trap as well looking for great 
singular images and have to force myself to take un-great images that 
tell the complete story.  

So.....  Composition, subject choice, lighting and a bit of luck make 
for great photos.  The rest of the shots are either completing the 
story or just in some cases, a waste of film.  Percentages are 
worthless,  it's your money and you can shoot pictures of whatever you 
want. 

 But learn how to compose, find good subjects and use light to your 
advantage and  you'll find you are shooting a lot of keepers.  With a 
bit of luck you'll get some truly great shots too.

So..  Go have fun!

Duane Birkey
HCJB World Radio
Quito Ecuador 

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