Major Tom
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
On reading the article about Michael, I learned that an oft-used phrase of his was "There's no shot here", and it got me to thinking about the importance of editing. I edit my "work" heavily (it feels a bit presumptuous to call what I do "work"). There's no point in exposing folk to the all of the absolute bilge that usually comes out of my camera. By choosing what I consider my better shots, I'm showing respect for the viewer, by not wasting their time with the full breadth of my mediocrity
Michael's saying got me to thinking to another aspect of editing - actually being discerning in what you shoot. Sometimes, I feel that if I were a good enough photographer, I could make a worthy shot in almost any place and with almost any subject. I suspect that many of us are tempted to think that way. Perhaps it's true, but for most of us mere mortals, it's a more practical approach to know when to give up - to say, "There's no shot here", because doing so frees us up to spend our valuable time in more promising locations with subjects that will give us a higher chance of success.
Michael's saying got me to thinking to another aspect of editing - actually being discerning in what you shoot. Sometimes, I feel that if I were a good enough photographer, I could make a worthy shot in almost any place and with almost any subject. I suspect that many of us are tempted to think that way. Perhaps it's true, but for most of us mere mortals, it's a more practical approach to know when to give up - to say, "There's no shot here", because doing so frees us up to spend our valuable time in more promising locations with subjects that will give us a higher chance of success.