Only Show Your Best

In a group I'm in we're often reminded by Randy, the group leader, "... only show your best ...". To often many more images than necessary. I too fall into that trap. But several images showing the same scene with slight changes in position is boring.

I stop viewing whenever I see that a person has posted 30 or so images. What's the point? When I go to shoot wildlife, action our similar, I may take offer 300 images. "Film" is cheap. Just a few a worthy of showing. That said when I shoot a sporting event I'll try and get a better than good image of each participant.

I recently read in Photography Life

"Be Diligent about Which Photos You Display

Let’s say that you made 1000 smoothies, and you only ever let people taste the ten best. They’d think that every smoothie you make is amazing.

In landscape photography, the same thing holds true. Even Ansel Adams said that one successful photo a month is a good crop. So, don’t feel pressured into showing as many photos as possible. Instead, put a lot of care into the work you display. A couple of bad photos can drag down the quality of an amazing portfolio."

Get It Right

I subscribe to Light Stalking and this came into my inbox and thought I should share it; 

"Hello there!

Get it right in camera.

If you have been around a while, you will hear this little piece of photography canon.

And it’s right. 

You should absolutely do everything in your camera to get as close to the end result as you possibly can while you have the camera in your hands.

But here’s where things go a little wobbly.

Invariably in these conversations about getting it right in camera, “that guy” will wade in with the gem that “I don’t need to do post processing because I get it right in camera.”

**sigh**

Sorry, but you do need to do post-production and you absolutely do not “get it right” in camera in 99% of cases (especially if you’re photographing complex exposure scenes like landscapes or dynamic scenes like sport or wildlife).

Nobody does. Sure, you can snag the occasional unicorn, but it’s very rare. It’s probably more possible in scenarios where you control everything (studios), but it’s still rare.

And in any case, “not doing post” is simply leaving it up to your camera to do the post for you. The very act of transforming a raw file to jpg ***IS*** post production.

Do it yourself, or leave it to the German/Japanese engineers to choose your settings, but it IS post production one way or the other.

Ansel Adams did post processing and even wrote a book on it. James Natchwey spends days in the darkroom for his famous shots. Steve McCurry famously got caught out doing a little too much post production and telling fibs about it (don’t do that). 

So “that guy” who claims everything they shoot is “right in camera” is better than those photographers?

Sorry, I don’t think so.

And in ALL of the cases I have checked out (because I usually look for their portfolio when they make the claim), literally 100% of them could have been improved with some skilful post—production. Some of them by a lot.

Here is a fact.

Good photography requires good shoot skills AND good post-production.

You should be trying to master them both because both require a lot of skill.

Get it right in camera. Then get it right in post too.

If you need a start, take a look at Steve Arnold’s very popular Photoshop 101 course for photographers here. (The video on this page is worth a watch, regardless).

Cheers,

Rob
 

608 Harris St
Ultimo NSW 2007
AUSTRALIA

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"

Lightroom Shortcuts

Thought some may like this, https://www.phototraces.com/lightroom-tutorials/lightroom-keyboard-shortcuts/

Don't Ask Me ...

Often I heard a photographer ask, "what settings should I use?"

How do I know,

  • what are you trying to accomplish?

  • what camera are you using?

  • what lens are you using, zoom, macro, prime?

  • any lens filter

  •.What camera mode, A, S, P, M, custom modes?

  • mirrorless

  • Bokeh, 

  • ???

You need to define your objective, composition, your camera capabilities, your capabilities.

So the settings? In that simple question that I can't answer.

What's your answer?

Read more from Robin Wong

And Jared Polin from where I have learned a lot.

Also you should review It's All About Stops

Auto ISO

This is my go to manual, ok semi auto, setting. But there are times that I choose a specific ISO as low as possible to meet the shooting situation.

Auto ISO

Additional information

   Auto ISO, 

   Backcountry Gallery

BUT if you want to take HDR or similar composite shots it's not for you.

Often it is recommend to use exposure compensation to make quick exposure changes. My choice is to use AUTO ISO. Oh but the grain the grain. Yeah? What of it? You're post processing your RAW data aren't you? Who will see your image? Phone, tablet, laptop screen.  That's a different post.