Good Photographers are Good Editors
Good Photographers are Good Editors
Let's imagine that you have three good photos and seven mediocre ones. If you show all ten to someone they will comment on the good ones but walk away with the impression that you are not really that good a photographer. Maybe those three good ones were just luck.
If you show only the three good photos the viewer will walk away thinking that you are a good photographer because you haven't shown them anything to prove you are not.
If you are tough on yourself when it comes to editing your own pictures it will not only improve your presentation to others but you will fall in love with each jewel you have isolated as a good picture and be inspired to build on that small, tight group of excellent images.
Also, when you are out and about with your camera, you will start to develop a better idea of what to take and what not to...you are in effect editing in the moment of shooting. Of course, in these wonderful digital times it hurts nothing to snap away with abandon. Sometimes great shots are captured accidentally.
You might be thinking 'how will I know if a picture is good or bad?' Admittedly, some subjective, "artistic" interpretation comes into play but beyond this are some time honored rules of thumb for judging a photo's quality.
1. Is the photo exposed well, is it too dark or too light? Can it be improved in Photoshop?
2. Is it in focus and if not why not? Did you move or use too slow a shutter speed or the wrong aperture? Analyze and learn from mistakes!
3. Does the composition work or detract from the picture? Have you applied the "golden rule of thirds?" Is the eye drawn in the picture by an S curve or the arrangement of elements? Can the picture be cropped to enhance balance and composition? That said, remember that some great photos break the rules but are great never-the-less.
4. Does the picture say anything/mean anything to you? If it speaks to you, it very probably will communicate to others. This is the intangible aspect of photography but when the content is properly exposed, well composed and uniquely interesting...you are no doubt looking at a good picture.
5. Finally, when you show your photos certain images will wind up getting the most acclaim and these will no doubt be good candidates upon which you should begin to build your portfolio.
If you take enough pictures and are tough enough on your self eventually you will be editing to weed out the good pictures from the great ones. You are now at a new level. You might decide to take them around to galleries to try to get a show. This is the time to build a tough skin!
You can minimize the pain of rejection by being familiar with what a gallery has shown in the past. Chances are that if you have felt moved by other shows exhibited in a particular gallery and your work is similar it is more likely to be accepted.
But exhibiting in a gallery need not be your goal. Some people are simply after the mind set that comes with looking for photos. Some are writing an image poem about their own lives. If they do it well, it will be a great source of pleasure to themselves, their family and friends for years to come.
The bottom line is that the process of editing not only focuses your vision, it enhances the impact of your work as a whole and ultimately sharpens your photographic eye.
