Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

My fascination and love for photography started when I was six years old. After watching my father develop negatives in our darkened bathroom in 1947, I ordered my first camera which cost 50 cents and a Wheaties box top. My Samoyed puppy; my baseball playing older brother; my first-grade neighbor with a cap pistol and anything else that moved got their picture taken. Seventy-five years later, I realize that I take far way too many pictures and should be FAR MORE selective before I press the shutter button. I now only take a picture of something if it is both pleasing to my eye and might be interesting or attractive to someone else viewing the image for the first time. When do you think someone should go ahead and take a picture of something? The attached image of a light fixture in my kitchen was taken with my Sony A7R4 with a 70-200 Sony telephoto lens set at F2.8; 1/2000 second shutter speed; and auto ISO. The unusual shaped globe being accentuated by the straight, shiny, brass bass and tightening screws was esthetically pleasing to my eye. Would you photograph it? Shooter41

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wetreed

The shutter should be pressed when you want to take a picture.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Sometimes I arrive at just the right time when a thousand RAW images will surely capture something.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

I think you should get a battery grip so you have two fully charged batteries every morning. Set focus for continuous, auto exposure and walk around all day every day with your finger on the shutter button!

User ID

Perhaps separate the question of whether to shoot from the question of whether to publicly share the result ?

Bill_de Loc: US

You might want to look at your subject for a bit, provided it is stationary, and think about what you are doing and why. The subject was stationary, so what made you choose 1/2000? I doubt I would havr chosen the light fixture. But if I was going to F/11 would hsve added sharpnes to the screws. Now that you have the picture you could add some flowers or other decorations using your other images you already have or take some new ones. Take note of your settings, and the results.

You were drawn to the fixture, so have some fun with it,

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Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

Dear Bill de...
You asked a relevant question. With a stationary subject, "Why would I choose to shoot at 1/2000 second? I am preparing to take pictures of the last game of the season for the Wichita Wings Professional Indoor Soccer Team. I've been taking pictures for them for forty-three years and have made it a conscious point to constantly improve my photographic abilities and equipment until today. In 2021, I switched from Canon to a Sony A7R4 camera and a Sony F2.8, 70-200 mm telephoto lens to get a larger sensor for low light shooting. For the upcoming final game of this season on March 11, 2023 I am adding for the first time a 1.4X extender onto my telephoto lens to be able to reach out to 280mm so I can crop less and lessen the noise in the low light conditions. The reason I was practicing at 1/2000 second shutter speed resulting from the low light in my kitchen was because this will be the first time I have used my tele-extender and I wanted to practice with the same settings and similar conditions that I will see on March 11, 2023. (F4.0; 1/2000; Auto ISO; monopod.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Shoot first, ask questions later. Once you have the shot, then you can decide if you're going to keep it, share it, hang it or whatever, but you have to have it first. Culling can be done in the comfort of your own home, but a missed opportunity is gone forever.

Once you've paid for your (reusable) SD card, digital negatives are free. You can thin out the obvious rejects straight away and take your time with the rest. Don't get too precious about it and learn to be brutal when necessary, or you'll end up with an SSD/HD full of dross. Being brutal will keep you honest and grounded.

Your results should fall into three categories - the definites, the maybes and the definitely nots. Get rid of the last group straight away and take your time with the second group. Edit the first group straight away and store the results in a special place.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

"When do you think someone should go ahead and take a picture of something? "
Answer: When something looks good to you.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Those photos with the 50 cent camera are a million times more valuable to future generations if properly identified than the light with the Sony and expensive 70-200 will ever be. That photo would be deleted instantly by a family member in the future and no museum would give it a second look.
Yes take what YOU want, enjoy it and select what pleases you. But for others there most likely be no meaning to the lamp vs the interest of 75 year old family photos identified taken with a 50 cent camera.
Which photo will have value 75 years from now?
I had fun doing the flower but know no one will care when I am gone. I really do not look at it either now. But the 1912 photo is hung on the wall and most the family of great great grand children have it and talk about it and his adventures of being shot at in the revoluccion by Pancho Villa and his men and visiting with Senor Obregon, his friend and future president of Mexico.
Bottom line have fun in whatever you do but do not think that all will be treasured art when one passes.

My grandfather on his horse in Mexico ca 1912


Flower, 2022

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Fortunately, photography is a total financial loss for me. I don't have to take pictures to please someone enough that they will give me money. If I want to take a picture, I take a picture. With digital, it doesn't cost anything.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.

I'd rather take a picture that I find of interest at the time than not take it and regret it later. I went through 60 years worth of photos last year and threw out 3 full "Staples Copy Paper" boxes of "memories". Out of focus...irrelevant...if I died today who would find these of interest? photos...instead of 30 shots from a vacation, I saved just one or two...and for various other reasons. I just tried to keep the "oh yeah, I remember that. What a blast!". It doesn't cost much to take a pic that you want nowadays. If I have a lot of "car" pics or "flowers" or "landscapes" that I enjoy looking at," leave them alone". The family can cull them once I'm gone. I may not be a technical photographic wizard, but I've got some great memories in my shoebox and on this computer. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind