Updating on Our Team in the 24th Edition of Our Site
A year ago, I sat down with some of my writing pals to gab about photography. The conversation this year? I'm itching to chat with Spencer, Libor, and Nasim about their photography secrets in 2024!
Dealing with Deletion
When I first started snapping pics, I didn't give a hoot about photos I tossed. But as I shot more, I realized managing shots became a pain as my collection grew. So I asked my fellow photogs: How do you manage deleting your photos?
Libor suggested locking usable photos and chucking the rest that aren't protected by the key symbol. He acknowledged that with more advanced gear, there's less waste, but there's still a ton to trim, especially after a trip to Ecuador!
Libor shared that wildlife photography has a weird rhythm, with moments of hectic action followed by long hours of inactivity. Instead of wasting those hours, Libor uses the quiet time to sift through photos. A wise strategy, indeed!
Then I wondered, how about Spencer, the landscape photographer? He surprised me by confessing that he never deletes photos. Instead, he saves every shot to analyze his bad photos and spot areas for improvement over the years. Insightful!
Spencer stores all his shots using NAS storage with 32 terrabytes of continuously backed-up images. He organizes his photos in individual folders divided by year and month, and sorts favorites or gathers images for reviews using Lightroom's collections feature. A picture-perfect system!
Similarly, Nasim has also shot with a slew of cameras and stores photos in Lightroom catalogs. He takes care of blurry, duplicate, or accidental shots before importing and aims to go through older catalogs and delete unwanted photos in the future.
In conclusion, different photographers approach photo management in their unique ways, catering to different personalities. My strategy? I shoot selectively, delete rigorously, and aim to accumulate no more than 40GB of photos per year. This approach forces me to be picky and carry my collection anywhere on a tiny 4TB SSD.
Favorite Camera Gear?
It's no secret that Spencer, Libor, and Nasim have experimented with numerous cameras. But which gear has impressed them the most?
Nasim, who started with the D80 and D90, shares that his favorite cameras are the Nikon Zf and the Fuji GFX series for medium format. However, he plans to sell off the MF system due to costs.
Spencer's all-time favorite camera is his Chamonix 8×10 film camera, which he plans to use for the rest of his life. He values the Nikon Z8 (digital) and D850 (DSLR) for their well-rounded capabilities, while his favorite Nikon lenses are the AF-S 70-200mm f/4 and the Z 105mm f/2.8 MC.
Libor shared that he loves the Z9 for its outstanding performance but remains sentimental about the D500, a camera he has shot with extensively.
Speaking of myself, the D500 remains my go-to camera, despite planning to upgrade to the Z8 eventually. It has seen me through more than 35,000 shots!
In conclusion, we're proud to run a photography website staffed by real-life photographers who are always happy to share their experiences. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
- Last year, I discussed photography with my writing friends, and I'm eager to delve into their photography secrets in 2024.
- Libor advises protecting usable photos by locking them and deleting the rest, even though advanced gear produces less waste.
- Libor finds wildlife photography has periods of activity followed by long hours of inactivity, using these quiet moments to sort through photos.
- Spencer never deletes photos, instead using them to analyze his mistakes and track improvements over time.
- Spencer manages his images by storing them on NAS storage, organized by year and month, and making use of Lightroom's collections feature.
- Nasim, who has tried various cameras, using the Lightroom catalog for storage, selects and deletes unwanted photos before importing new ones.
- Spencer's favorite camera is his Chamonix 8×10 film camera, while he appreciates the versatile Nikon Z8 and D850 for their capabilities.
- Both Nasim and Libor show affection for the Nikon Z9 and D500, with Nasim considering the Fuji GFX series as a favorite as well.
- I plan to upgrade my D500 to the Nikon Z8 but cherish its performance as it has captured over 35,000 shots for me.
