Forums > Photography Talk > How many photos

Photographer

Seste Proleterske

Posts: 106

Sarajevo, Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Fellow photographers, how many photos you average make per shooting if you shoot a model? Regardless of the scenario. I usually make 200-300 per shooting.

Jun 26 17 05:29 am Link

Photographer

Shot By Adam

Posts: 8089

Las Vegas, Nevada, US

denis071 wrote:
Fellow photographers, how many photos you average make per shooting if you shoot a model? Regardless of the scenario. I usually make 200-300 per shooting.

I'm not sure I understand the point of the question. The answer really is, "it depends". If I'm shooting headshots, maybe 20-30. If I'm shooting for a full magazine spread, 300-700 is reasonable, or more, depending on the shoot. It all comes down to how many FINISHED photos is the goal of the shoot and the complexity of the shoot itself.

So the answer to your question is, "it depends".

Jun 26 17 06:12 am Link

Photographer

Sam_XeoPhoto

Posts: 1

Lakewood, Ohio, US

I used to do around 300 when I first started portrait type shoots. But after learning a bit more It's gone down to like 120.

Generally, the larger amounts of shots taken come from us (the model, HMUA, and myself) just simply have a good time. But if the client for some reason has limited time, I'll be more selective with the shots I take, bringing the amount of shots down significantly. And then obviously, edit/retouch afterwards on my own time.

Jun 26 17 06:20 am Link

Photographer

Vector One Photography

Posts: 3722

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US

My answer is..... "whatever it takes".  I've gone from twenty for a portrait sitting to five hundred for a ballerina in motion.

Jun 26 17 06:21 am Link

Photographer

Herman Surkis

Posts: 10856

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

As others have said 'it depends'.

As an example. Did a shoot yesterday with 3 clothing changes going from full length to close ups and smoke/fog with 2 clothing setups. Took 220 shots

Jun 26 17 06:31 am Link

Photographer

Connor Photography

Posts: 8539

Newark, Delaware, US

I usually give out 10 to 15 edited images without repeat.  But can be less, it depends.

Jun 26 17 09:08 am Link

Photographer

Abbitt Photography

Posts: 13559

Washington, Utah, US

I usually shoot about 200 frames resulting in 10-15 final, edited images, and in reality only a few of those are likely to get used.

Jun 26 17 10:27 am Link

Photographer

BoydStitt

Posts: 10

Chişinău, Chişinău, Moldova

Don't you think it matters what is the duration of the photo shoot?
one hour photo shoot?  full day photo shoot?  huge difference there.

I shoot multiple hundreds of photos during a shoot.
When the model is perfectly posed, I will take 3-10 quick shots, just to be sure I got the perfect shot,
because sometimes eyes will close, or wind will blow the hair, or my hands shake, or model adjusts hair,
or model changes facial expression a little, or bug flies past or whatever

better too many photos, than not enough.

Jun 26 17 12:11 pm Link

Photographer

Barry Kidd Photography

Posts: 3351

Red Lion, Pennsylvania, US

Basically I shoot till I have the shot. You often know once you get it. 

For some gigs I may shoot 30.  Shooting stills for a commercial I may shoot 500 or 900.  Who's to say but even then we are looking for only 3 or 4 shots that really stand out.

Jun 26 17 02:32 pm Link

Retoucher

3869283

Posts: 1464

Sofia, Sofija grad, Bulgaria

denis071 wrote:
Regardless of the scenario.

You cannot disregard the scenario. The scenario is everything.

For stock I shoot 50-150 raws per hour, full day or 5 hours, then put for sale 25% of them.
For a 13 page calendar (13 images) I may shoot 12 hours. Or more. Or less.
For a catalog it can be something else.

Just shooting numbers means nothing.

Jun 26 17 04:09 pm Link

Photographer

Michael DBA Expressions

Posts: 3730

Lynchburg, Virginia, US

In 45 years in the business, I never found myself shooting with any particular number in mind. I shot until I was certain I had what I needed, and a few extra just to be sure. I could never even calculate an average after the fact simply because no two jobs were ever alike, no two models, no two portrait clients, no two buildings, etc.

Some days the model is really great, one of those folks it is impossible to get a bad shot. Other days, the model is having a bad day, or is inexperienced, or _I_ am having a bad day. It's all one of the things I love about this business: every day is new and fresh.

Jun 26 17 05:21 pm Link

Photographer

PhillipM

Posts: 8049

Nashville, Tennessee, US

I worked with 3 models yesterday.  Shot 2K images.

Jun 28 17 04:06 am Link

Photographer

PhillipM

Posts: 8049

Nashville, Tennessee, US

Just finished a 3 day gig.  5 different models.  12K images.

Jul 01 17 04:33 pm Link

Photographer

Roy Hubbard

Posts: 3199

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, US

I shoot between 2-4 rolls of 120 (6x7) and maybe a few frames of 4x5.

On my last shoot I shot 2 rolls of Portra160 and 6 sheets of HP5+, so 26 all together. All but two are usable, and I really like maybe 8.

Jul 01 17 04:44 pm Link

Photographer

PhillipM

Posts: 8049

Nashville, Tennessee, US

Roy Hubbard wrote:
I shoot between 2-4 rolls of 120 (6x7) and maybe a few frames of 4x5.

On my last shoot I shot 2 rolls of Portra160 and 6 sheets of HP5+, so 26 all together. All but two are usable, and I really like maybe 8.

^^^^^^^^^^
My hero !
{sigh}

Jul 02 17 05:14 am Link

Photographer

Sliver-Sliver

Posts: 175

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

denis071 wrote:
Regardless of the scenario.

anchev wrote:
You cannot disregard the scenario. The scenario is everything.

+1

I'm having a hard time imagining where the scenario (what you're shooting, what your goals are, whom you're working with, what light do you want, what light do you have available, etc.) wouldn't guide how you plan to execute the shoot.

To the OP: why do you ask, as in, why does it matter to you how many images someone else takes? If I told you 6, would it change how you shoot? What if I said 6000?

Jul 02 17 08:15 am Link