JPG Magazine: Stories: How To: Looking Back to Go Forward

How To

Looking Back to Go Forward

By Lucius Luther

26 July 2007

Photographers have always had to review their images and cull the good from the bad. Before digital cameras became popular, photographers had to review their work - actual images (proofs); slides; and contact sheets Since we did not have LCD screens where we could instantly review and toss the images, we thought of this review time as part of the workflow.

Lots of images were left on the cutting room floor and in the wastebasket. But negatives and slides (transparencies) can be stored and reviewed periodically. Most often we had to look at slides and negatives through a loupe to start the culling process. This one too blurred; missed the composition on that one. This one is clear but the lighting is wrong. I am sure this sounds familiar to some of the experienced film photographers.

I have slides and negatives that go back to my college days. I have boxes and boxes of ungrouped and unfiled slides and negatives as well. I hate to throw them out. Never know when I might be able to use them for something - a sandwich or a background for something else.

Here is my point. Photographers took notes. Time of year, time of day; quality of the light, position of the lights, kinds of film used and exposure settings (pushing and pulling film). In addition there were processing notes as well. This was a good learning experience.

We can use some of those same techniques today to improve digital photography. It is still important to know what can be expected in specific lighting conditions. It can be helpful to know what raising the ISO on your camera can translate to for your image. How much noise vs how much more sharp the image might be.

In particular reviewing your work can improve your technique. I am thinking of a recent wedding I shot in a conservatory. The light was still quite intense at 6:30 p.m. and I compensated with fill flash to reduce shadows. I now have had time to look at the images. Even though they were good enough to use, I know I could have made them even better with a softbox and an off camera strobe. I am adding this to my portable small kit for future use.

Here is my suggestion to all who want to improve - that should be all of us. Take a look back at some of your best images. Ask yourself what could have made those images better. Sometimes it may be composition. Sometimes it may be lighting. Sometimes it may be posing. Sometimes it may be editing. I am thinking that getting it right before the shutter release can save us all some post processing time; whether that time be in a darkroom, in a computer program or at your light table.

Report a Problem

VOTE: Should this story be published in JPG?