The Photographer's Vice
I'm a dedicated member of Overshooters Anonymous. But since there's no
12 step program available, I've been musing a bit on why I'm in this boat.
It seems to me there are a few very good reasons to shoot a zillion frames,
when a handful of really good ones would save so much time and wear and
tear on the subject. There are also a number of bad reasons to overshoot,
and I'm guilty of most of them.
I'll start with the positives. First, there's the million monkeys approach
to photography. You know, given a million monkeys, one of them will type
out Hamlet right to "and may flights of angels sing thee to thy smfkjopjre."
(That particular monkey fell apart at the end). So if you shoot a million
shots, ONE of them is likely to be superb.
The difference between an ordinary shot and an extraordinary one can
be caused by the tiniest of changes. The exact angle of a nose, the quirk
of an eyebrow, a shadow falling 1/2 inch further towards the cheek -- these
things can spell greatness or mediocrity. With kids' portraits the effect
is exaggerated, because the little darlings shift in a millisecond from
cherubic to mischievous ... and I can't really pose 'em, so I just follow
the action.
In landscapes, I tend to bracket a lot, move the camera a couple of inches,
etc. Shooting waterfalls is a great place to be an overshooter; they're
really hard to get right! It's worth experimenting to capture a beauty.
Second, intentional experimentation is a good reason for shooting a lot.
Again, one of those experiments may pay off big-time.
Now to the negative reasons I overshoot.
1. Lack of proper training. I've taken courses, observed a lot, but there's
a ton I don't know about my profession. If I were better trained, I wouldn't
have to reinvent things so often. In other words, I wouldn't have to fight
so hard to get the lighting just right, wouldn't have to knock myself and
my clients dead getting the perfect pose.
2. Simple lack of self-confidence. Extra shots provide insurance ....
mainly for my ego. What's bad news is shooting JUST TO BE DOING IT. It means
time with the client, time downloading files, time in PS, and harder decision-making
for me and my client. If I were more secure in my work, I wouldn't shoot
so much.
3. Free film doesn't mean free labor. It's so easy to click away, but
then there's computer time.... a subset of 2 above.
4. I do it because I can. What a lousy reason... but I'm sure it's playing
in there someplace.
So, I guess the point of all this is that putting myself on a rigorous
diet is something I have to do. And the main rule is going to be this: if
you don't have a deliberate reason to press the shutter again, DON'T DO
IT.
Great. And I promise not to eat any more chocolates during Lent....
Submitted by
Eric Hatch
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