Keeper rate

[Jonbar18]

I recently came back from a vacation with about 300 shots. After getting rid of everything that wasn't photography related (friends, family, etc.) and choosing one or two image amongst a set of similar ones, I had about 100-150 images to work with. After editing and a lot more deleting, I finished with about 15 shots I liked enough to keep. Is this a reasonable percentage? Or are my standards to high and/or skills to low?

[faeriegodess612]

It depends,...If I dont go thru my photos say,..once I get back to my car, and delete the ones like test shots and blurs, then my ratio is more keep < chuck. If I go thru them and delete the obvious chucks, then I have more keeps.

[kcoppock]

I'm about the same rate as you, Jon, though I don't know if that's good or bad. I'm trying to be more selective on what I shoot, but at the same time, storage is cheap, so it's usually worth taking the shot -- you can always delete it later (but WILL you?). I took around 550 on my trip to Indiana, ended up posting about 25 to Flickr, and about 50 to Facebook (I'm pickier with my Flickr account).

It sounds like you just have high standards, which I don't see as a bad thing.

[Izzy]

I can consistently hit 35-40% without too much effort, maybe higher on good days. Today I hit about 60%. Unless the shot is a total failure I keep it. I have had to go back to these shots to obtain a printable image. Besides, deleting them does not make the shutter count on my cam go backwards so why bother?

[Ambrosia76]

Depending on what I am shooting and what I want to accomplish. Most of the portrait shoots I have done I shot about 400 pics, edited probably 75-100 of those,with probably 10-20 favorites out of the group. For Granddaughter birthday I shot almost 1000 pics and kept about 200.

[Jonbar18]

Originally Posted by kcoppock

I'm about the same rate as you, Jon, though I don't know if that's good or bad. I'm trying to be more selective on what I shoot, but at the same time, storage is cheap, so it's usually worth taking the shot -- you can always delete it later (but WILL you?). I took around 550 on my trip to Indiana, ended up posting about 25 to Flickr, and about 50 to Facebook (I'm pickier with my Flickr account).

It sounds like you just have high standards, which I don't see as a bad thing.

I should probably note I kept everything. A few times. All 300 or so jpeg originals are in a separate folder, and of the 50ish I was working with I have the raw originals that I couldn't bear deleting. Its just the 15 I finished and will put up on facebook and flickr (when I finally set one up ). Still i can't shake the feeling its me, especially when so many of the images JUST didn't make the cut and usually for stupid reasons too.

[milosh]

I'm very picky, both with what I shoot and what I keep. If it's a landscape scene which I spotted earlier and planned, then I'll probably take around 50 shots (bracketing in sets of 3 to 7 shots) and use only two or three frames in total to obtain the exposure I like in the final image. But when it comes to stuff that you just walk into, like on vacation or when scouting a new area, chances are 95% that I won't like it when I get home. I'm really picky. And I should say that I always delete those with obvious flaws in camera, saves me a lot of time later.

[Aegea]

I got back into photography just over two years ago, after not having taken anything but casual snapshots for many years. I've been finding that my keeper rate has been going down - I find myself looking at a shot and thinking, well, that's nice but there's nothing special about it, so why keep it ....

I'd like to think it's because my eye is getting more educated.

[sk66]

Depends on the criteria.
"Good" images, ones that are sellable for a given assignment...probably 50-60%.
"Keepers", ones that I would choose to put out in my portfolio...maybe 5%. Probably less.

[gturner]

You can either be selective about pushing the button or deleting in post.
I have dramatically decreased the number of times I hit the shutter release and surprise surprise, my keep rate (overall set quality) has gone way up.

That said, the absolute pearler are still only at 5% AS 66 says above.