“Keeper rate” sparks frequent discussions on my safaris, often a loaded question. For those deeply passionate about the art of photography and crafting impactful images, it’s a topic of significant importance.
After two decades behind the camera, less than half a percent of my images truly capture what I envisioned—something I’d proudly sign my name to. That percentage, however, shifts dramatically with the volume of shots taken. Therefore “keeper rate” is a loaded question: it can rise or fall depending on whether you’re firing off frames rapidly or growing more selective and intentional as your skills evolve with experience.
Too much abundance.
Film was inherently limited, largely due to the cost of both purchasing and processing it. A photographer’s skill demanded a deep understanding of exposure, shutter speed, and aperture—how light, time, and depth worked together—without the luxury of seeing the image before you clicked. Every frame mattered. You held your breath, waiting to see what emerged from the developed negatives.
Digital was a game changer, along with megapixels, click speeds, and terabit memory cards. One can click thousands of images a day, but is that a good thing?
Mirrorless was a game changer as a photographer sees the exact image they are creating before they click. Shouldn’t this mean every image clicked should be a keeper?
It’s a mind game
The adrenaline rush of a click can be more intoxicating than any drug. Spraying and praying is hard to resist with the abundance of pixels and no limitations. It takes discipline and intention to resist.
Everything in life has a balance of nature, the good with the bad, the yin with the yang. While rapid-fire shooting can feel exhilarating in the moment, sifting through 20,000 images with only a one percent keeper rate often leads to frustration and self-doubt about your skills.
Time Matters
Culling and editing are time-consuming parts of the creative process. I use Photo Mechanic to streamline this—its ability to instantly display RAW files as JPEGs helps me to eliminate repetitive images and “dump the trash.” Still, there’s a big difference between sorting through 20,000 images and 2,000. The less time I spend buried in files, the more I can invest in exploring emerging AI tools, crafting multimedia projects, and writing posts like this one.
Slow down, see, and feel
Photography is an art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them and capture them. True photography requires space, patience, and connection—it’s about evaluating the scene and feeling the moment before pressing the shutter. Without that, the soul of the image is often lost.
Great Photography is about “Depth of Feeling” and not Depth of Field. – Peter Adams
Choose your location wisely
Across much of the world, national parks have become overcrowded, with vehicles confined to the roads. The experience can feel more like a chaotic rally race, as drivers scramble for position amid a sea of cars. Once they manage to wedge you into a spot, there’s little time to breathe—you raise your camera and fire off shots. It feels less like the thoughtful craft of photography and more like target practice, far removed from the quiet artistry of capturing a powerful and emotional moment.
There is a big difference in the goals of trophy photos for social media and the art of a photograph. Location is the critical difference.
Invest in your skills
Although mirrorless has drastically shortened the learning curve, it has not eliminated the need for specific skills altogether. Capturing dramatic emotion with the use of light and how the background plays upon it is critically important.
The camera always points both ways. Images reflect the light that the photographer brings to it. – Freeman Patterson.
A skill building workshop, not a photo tour, is still invaluable for growth as a photographer who desires to create extraordinary.
Stop clicking
If you love the thrill of the adrenaline rush of the click (don’t we all), spray and pray, if you desire to create a deep meaningful image, stop clicking and start creating.