These days, with gigabytes of film and instant review, the number of photos that can come out of any session, especially for beginners, can sometimes reach hundreds with dozens of shots from a single pose. So, how do you select the perfect shot to post on your blog or give to your subject for their Facebook profile?
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem. I don't know how many pictures I have seen of people praying there. Everyone I saw made me want to go an shoot there myself. When I finally got the chance, it was like being a kid in a candy store where all the candy was free as long as I could figure out how to reach it and take it home. Needless-to-say, I came away with a full memory card and had to keep myself from running to get back and start editing.
I almost couldn't contain the desire to sprint through the crowded Jerusalem streets, because deep in the bits of my compact flash card, there was an image I knew was one of my best. Even before the light hit the CMOS censor of my Canon 40D, I was jumping up and down, figuratively of course, as soon as the subject approached the wall. As soon as an Orthodox Jew and his young son approached the wall to pray I knew this was my touchdown. Taking the tape. The photographers checker flag.
I started shooting. And shooting. And shooting. The scene kept building, getting better and better. As soon as I would close the shutter a better pose presented itself. Then another. Then, in an instant, everything came together in the perfect shot.
In the next instant, the entire situation changed and the moment was gone. Fifty frames, a missed bus, and a jubulant walke home later, it was time to edit. Thanks to
Adobe Lightroom 3, the workflow is very simple. Clear out the poorly exposed, out of focuse, cluttered, and otherwise sub-par photos. But that still leaves the decision of which photo is the "one" everyone will see. Which one will I present as my
Picture of the Day?
Typically, you only get one chance at your audience. The picture you present must capture the entire story and the audience's attention in the same moment. If you are like me, you will often end up with a number of photos that could make the cut as a solid, stand-alone photo.
Here is the final cut from the Wailing Wall.
Each photo has elements that really tell a story - that is what we are looking for. The first two tell the story of religion and prayer at the holy site - a father praying with his son. Number 3 shows a parallelism between the father and the child. Then in 4-8 we see the kid's attention start to wander while the father prays. In 4, the child is still attached to the wall - this would work as a commentary on the place. In 5 and 6 we get a couple good shots of the comparison between the father's praying and the child's understanding of what is happening. Number 7 adds the element of the father-son relationship that is the real story in this series. We get the juxtaposition of a father's dedication to his religion and a son's devotion and attachment to his father. Then, all of a sudden, in 8, the child pulls in the audience by looking straight at the camera. With all the elements of 7 and the attention grabber of the child's eyes looking into the audience, this is the "one." It is the full story.
Sometimes, as in this case, you know as soon as the shutter clicks that you just captured the story. Sometimes it requires going through the pictures to find the one that tells the most complete story. In the end, the one you display will be the one that captures you and captures the audience.
Note: We can often get caught up in a moment or a photograph that we as the photographer have an understanding of the context that the audience will not have. Keep in mind that when you have only one frame, it may not be your personal favorite, but will communicate everything you understand about the moment to the audience. It is often better to keep those photos that require explanation or context for a photo series instead of presenting as stand-alones.
Discover more at www.bradkehrphotography.com.
