Most photographers arriving at a popular photo

It might be a famous vista on a dull overcast day, or some outdoor landmark under stark midday lighting, or an impressive waterfall late in the day when the light is going fast. The conditions mean they're never going to get the shot they'd hoped for, but they take it anyway.

That's OK for your personal record but for a professional photographer this can be a real trap. Once it's in your collection it takes iron discipline not to include it in your marketing efforts. I see these types of image sneak past even the most disciplined self-editor, again and again, and it can make the most experienced professional look like a total amateur.

It's easy to see how they slip through though. As long as it's 'the best you've got' on a subject, it's going to lead the 'polls' when you are evaluating your work, and most photographers find it incredibly difficult to discard 'the best shot' they have of a specific subject.

Most of us will edit it down to one or two without too much trouble, but to actually discard everything is really tough.

And yet, deep down we always know the image is not up to scratch, we know that there will be better images available to buyers, and if we're really honest we'll admit that it's never going to sell!

Even worse, if you go so far as to post it to a collection or show it to your Clients, it can make your whole collection look bad.

Always remember, being the 'best shot you've got of it' doesn't cut it for buyers.

Neither does ' that's just what it was like on the day', or 'the bus was leaving so we couldn't wait for better light'. The exception is obviously if the location is particularly remote or unique, and seriously under-photographed, but here we are talking about subject that you know are well documented.

So if you are going to take these shots 'for your own records', make sure you remember that reasoning when you get to the sorting & editing. You need to physically remove them to your personal file at the first opportunity... before you weaken!

The other problem with this approach is that it focuses your attention on the shot you can't get to the exclusion of all the photos that sell that might be there waiting!

We'll cover that in the next installment though ... Tim Paquett is a photographer, writer and he builds instant Photo Web Sites. You can view Tim's Stock Photo Images on the Global Eye stock library.