How many photos is enough?

[Paul Ewins]

I know that there won't be any definitive answer to this question, but for any particular photo project how do you know when to say enough? I've gone back to study photography as a mature age student and we are required to produce one thematically linked folio per semester which should have 10 - 15 photos. My folio last semester had the minimum 10 shots of which three or four really resonated with me and make me want to try and do more on the same theme. I have found that I work best when there is some sort of target or time constraint to tell me that I am finished, which leads me to the original question.

Say you were working on historic covered bridges, how many photos would you use if you were creating a folio (or folios) for sale? And how many more would you think that you would require for a solo exhibition? At what point do you think you would have enough for a book?

I realise the some people just keep shooting the same thing for years and fair enough. Maybe that will happen to me, but at the moment I'd like to be able to say that I gave myself (and the subject) a decent chance rather than just what i could do in six months.

[John Kasaian]

For what purpose? An architectural record would require a number of technical shots of structural details with clarity and not neccesarily artistic images. For a purely artistic portfolio there may be other considerations, such as the weather, water level (I'm thinking of your covered bridges scenario) stuff like that.

[r.e.]

Say you were working on historic covered bridges, how many photos would you use if you were creating a folio (or folios) for sale? And how many more would you think that you would require for a solo exhibition? At what point do you think you would have enough for a book?

I think that you should consider the possibility that there is no market, apart from government archives, tourism associations and post cards for tourists, for photographs of historic covered bridges.

[Paul Ewins]

The covered bridges was just an example. I'm really speaking in very general terms here. I am thinking purely about art, so there aren't any considerations other than aesthetic value. Whether or not somebody would buy my images isn't that important to me (which is probably just as well) but the expectations of galleries is probably a good place to start.

[SMBooth]

If purely for a display or portfolio of a given subject then I would think 15-20 image is enough, if your cataloging then at least one of every bridge, which makes your chosen subject of covered bridges in Melbourne number about zero . I was at a display before Christmas of images depicting old industrial buildings and the number of image was around 20 in a reasonable sized gallery.

[Paul Ewins]

A one point my father decided to sketch every bridge over the Yarra which took him a few years. He also sketched all of the bridges that no longer existed, using the engineering plans (where available) and other historical sources. I'm trying to hit the point between "a job worth doing is worth doing well" and "flogging a dead horse".

[SMBooth]

I had that idea once a while back, but it stayed just that. I'm sure I'm not the first either. There are some wonderful bridges straddling that brown stain we call a river and it would make a worthy personal project.

[Vaughn]

I always thought 12 was a nice number for a portfolio. If the images are varied enough (might not be on something like the bridge project), then up to twenty might work.

The important aspect of a portfolio (no matter how many images are in it) is that all images be equally strong. Toss out the weaker ones -- don't include them just to get to a certain number of images for a portfolio. It is the old "one rotten apple spoils the barrel" sort of thing.

Vaughn

[Bruce Watson]

...for any particular photo project how do you know when to say enough?

You'll know. Trust your instincts.

I've gone back to study photography as a mature age student and we are required to produce one thematically linked folio per semester which should have 10 - 15 photos. My folio last semester had the minimum 10 shots of which three or four really resonated with me and make me want to try and do more on the same theme.

This is exactly what I mean. Your instincts are telling you that you aren't done with this project yet.

There is no universal time line, there's no set number of images, for any photographer and/or project. You'll know when you're done. And when you aren't. Art photography mostly isn't about a schedule or a number of prints. It's about expressing your vision to the best of your abilities. You have to use as many prints as necessary, and take as much time as you need, to accomplish that.

[bob carnie]

You will get bored with the project, leave it , a year or two latter it will come back to you and if its a worthy project then I would say you may never have enough.
I try to have a couple of projects going at any one time for this boredom factor.