But I put SO MUCH WORK into that shot!

[BobH]

Here's a basic photography tip that we sometimes overlook...

Just because you put a lot of time and effort into a photo does not guarantee it will be a good shot. It does increase the likelyhood of that quite a bit, but it doesn't guarantee it...

I think just about everyone has had a lucky shot or two where everything just worked, the subject lined up perfectly, and the shot just came out great. It's wonderful when that happens, isn't it?

Well, there's a flip side to that, at least in my experience... Sometimes you just can't get a shot to work. You put a lot of time and effort into it, and the results just aren't there.

What should you do about it? First of all, don't get discouraged. Nobody hits a homer every time they're at bat! If you try something new, and it doesn't work, that's nothing to be ashamed of, it happens to just about everyone.

 

[BrianH]

Im with you 100% on this Bob. IF you are not making mistakes you are not pushing your envelope enough.. Im playing with long exposure and waves now.........I have taken many shots and only 5 of 50 or so would I share with anyone. Learning a new discipline is never easy

 

[BobH]

Here's an example:

So close, but no cigar...

The tall ships had just returned from a sail. The sun was setting and the horizon was deep purple. The moon was coming up and shining through the rigging. In person, it was a dramatic sight, and looked really cool.

So I spent about 1/2 hour trying to get the shot. The dock was a floating dock, and even though the water was fairly calm, the dock and ship move in relation to one another. Any kind of a time exposure causes a blur. I kept trying since the shot felt like it was close to working. But I just couldn't get there. There was always something wrong. Blur, too much grain, the shot didn't look right when I tried using a flash to freeze the ship's motion... Every time I'd think "OK, but what if I try this?" only to have it not work either.

There was no good angle to get the moon and the rigging. The reflection of the windows on the water was great, but there was no good angle for that either. The motion of the dock meant a short exposure was needed. Crank up the ISO. The orange "beachball" float just added to the ambience.

Here's the end result:

Want to buy an 8" x 10" of that? Yeah, didn't think so... (It actually looks somewhat OK at this small size. Don't be fooled, it's a lousy shot!)

The end result? FAIL! Sometimes it happens. But maybe the next time you try something like this, the result will be an excellent and creative photo. When you swing for the fence, sometimes you strike out. Don't let it get you down.

 

[BobH]

Im with you 100% on this Bob. IF you are not making mistakes you are not pushing your envelope enough.. Im playing with long exposure and waves now.........I have taken many shots and only 5 of 50 or so would I share with anyone. Learning a new discipline is never easy

Chito, that's be expected too. But my point here is that sometimes you totally strike out. None of the shots I tried of the ship at the dock worked. Nothing, not even marginal. It just plain wouldn't work.

It reminds me of something I heard Scott Bourne say: "I get a lot of e-mails saying what amounts to 'I have to photograph a black cat, in a barn, at night, and I can't use a flash. What should I do?' I want to reply 'Leave the camera in the bag and go see a movie!"

If you're learning and improving your skill, sooner or later you're going to try a shot that just isn't possible, or isn't possible with your knowledge, skills and/or equipment. That's OK, it's good to experiment. But sometimes you just have to admit the shot didn't work...

 

[Christena]

I abandon ideas all the time...I look at something and realize it's pretty to look at but not worth trying to photograph...after I really try!!! LOL

 

[robarooni]

I have discovered that continuous "fails" can lead to two things: shortening the learning curve on technique, and broadening the horizons of what I consider photogenic. I used to bail out on a photo if I couldn't get results that suited me, but now I continue to work through all of my options to get something that might work out. I've been known to return to a place several times to reshoot. Different lenses, perspectives, even attitude can change how I feel about a shot, and often times I can find a result that I like.

 

[BobH]

Another comment I've heard photographers make is: "Nobody is standing next to the person while they're viewing your photo, and telling them just how hard you worked to get it..."

Unless it's obvious from the image itself, say the shot is taken from the top of Mt Rainier, so folks know you have to climb a mountain to get that photo, the effort involved in taking a photo isn't apparent in the image. That's not to say there isn't effort involved, obviously there is. Often the difference between a good photo and one that's just OK is how much work went into it. But don't assume folks can see it in your image.

As an example, I've got a nice photo of Tipsoo Lake. It took me months all summer to get. First the lake was frozen, then the weather wasn't right, too much wind, light was wrong, etc. etc.

Finally one fall morning everything worked. Another photographer and I got there early, and had our tripods set up waiting for the sun to move into position. As it did, a car drove up, a lady hopped out and took a photo. From all appearances, she was simply driving by and took a snapshot. Assuming the composition is the same, her picture and mine would look identical. I tried 4 or 5 times to get the shot. She (it would appear) was simply driving by... Is my shot better than hers based on the work I put into getting it? No, probably not.

So, what's my point here? Don't get emotionally attached to your photos based on how much effort you put into it. Just because you worked hard on a shot doesn't mean it's a good photo. Typically, the more effort, the better the shot, but that's not always the case. The image has to stand on its own merit.