{"id":123337,"date":"2018-12-21T18:29:08","date_gmt":"2018-12-22T02:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=123337"},"modified":"2018-12-21T18:29:15","modified_gmt":"2018-12-22T02:29:15","slug":"how-to-choose-your-best-photo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2018\/12\/21\/how-to-choose-your-best-photo\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose Your Best Photo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the most challenging parts of photography: the image-selection (culling) process. How do you know which photo is your best?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

When you see an interesting scene, always ‘work the scene’ (shoot lots of photos of the same scene)<\/h2>\n\n\n

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The other day, I went to Dollar Tree with Cindy, and on the way out, I saw this dad and daughter near the entrance, playing with these toys.<\/p>\n

I thought it was a great moment, and I asked if I could make a photo of them together. The guy said ‘sure’, and I started to shoot these photos with my RICOH GR II<\/a> (positive film preset mode, with a flash<\/a>). I shot 9 photos in total. Here are all the photos I shot:<\/p>\n

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Now the tricky question is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you know which photo is the ‘best’?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Is there is such thing as a ‘best’ photo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Technically, there is no such thing as a ‘best’ photo of a given scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, who is to say you must<\/em> only choose 1 photo of a given scene?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is my favorite photo of the scene, because I like the girl looking at the toys, and the man looking outside of the frame. Santa Ana, 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remember, there are no rules in photography<\/strong>. All the rules in photography must be self-dictated. Make rules for yourself in photography for fun; rules which are self-directed are good ‘creative constraints<\/a>‘. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can publish as many or as few photos as you want. For myself, I like the creative constraint of choosing your 1 best photo from a given scene. And of course, the concept of having a ‘best’ photo is up for you to decide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ‘best<\/em>‘ photo of a scene is the photo that <\/strong>you<\/strong><\/em> like the most!<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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How I select what I consider the best photo of a given scene<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An example below of a photo I shot in the Korean Market, a man at the seafood counter. I shot several photos of the scene, but these two were the best candidates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Consideration 1: He is making eye contact directly with me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Consideration 2: He is looking up. I prefer this photo, because you can see the catchlights in his eyes, and you can see him looking up at the ‘seafood’ sign.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Often it is easy to cull<\/a> your photos down to 2-3 choices. But still, you must edit ruthlessly (kill your babies<\/a>) and choose only 1<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this is a tip:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes when you’re trying to decide two photos; there is a possibility that neither<\/em> photo is that great.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

For example the two photos above: neither<\/em> photo is that great. Thus the right decision is to kill both photos<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Always work the scene!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I will say this until I get hoarse:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever you see a scene that you find compelling, ALWAYS<\/em> work the scene to the maximum!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

You never know which version of the photo will be best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Furthermore, you never can predict what interesting gesture or decisive moment will occur. The best thing is to just shoot a lot of photos of a given scene, and allow serendipity and randomness to occur!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You cannot predict what will happen: In praise of randomness and chaos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Leica M8.2, shot on RAW, processed with Eric Kim PRESET<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For example, let me use the above photo as an example. In this photo, I asked for permission<\/a> to shoot a portrait of this man. I was ‘working the scene’, and out of nowhere, his girlfriend took out a napkin and started to wipe his forehead. There is no way in hell I could have predicted this! <\/strong>Furthermore, the lesson is also that often interesting things can happen because<\/em> you are interacting with your subjects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to make better street photos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n