One of the most tedious parts of being a photographer is culling the shots. Sometimes hundreds of photos are taken which makes it harder to cull. However, if you have the chance, try not to take too many of the same photos in a shoot. Although this isn’t always possible, understanding the best ways to cull your shots when editing will help you narrow down your results and focus on the important images. Remember these tips when culling your shots!
Start with Small Thumbnails…
When you’re ready to begin your photo editing and deciding which shots you’re going to pick, it’s always best to start with small images before you scale and zoom in. When you’re looking at photos in thumbnail form, it is easier to pick out the photos that have the biggest problems. You can then quickly go in and delete photos that look blurry, hav empty space or look cluttered. The idea here is to pick out the photos with the biggest issues as quickly as possible.
Move to Larger images…
The next step to culling imagines is to take advantage of your zoom and scale tools. When you’re in a larger mode, it is easier to see little details that may cause issues within your image. Larger images allow you to see blurriness, clutter, and fuzzy photos. You will also be able to see if the photo is balanced. Large photos will also allow you to compare similar images so that you can pick the best ones and delete the rest. Focus your eyes on hidden details and issues that are hard to pick out. These are the trickiest so may sure you pay close attention.
Be Quick…
This may be hard to take in, but when culling your shots, you have to be quick. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to provide low quality work or delete every picture you think is wrong, but you have to be quick in your decision making. As you practice more, you will get better at deleting photos that just don’t fit the needs of your client. Remember to find a balance between what your client’s needs are and what your opinion is. This will help you decide which photos are acceptable and which ones you can delete. Being quick on your decision making will also allow you to feel less tired and focus on the photos that are important.