For photographers, the ability to identify our best work is a critical skill. This doesn't always come easily, though, whether culling photographs from a specific shoot or curating images for inclusion on a website.

If you've struggled with this, you're not alone. I'd venture to guess it's something every photographer has dealt with at one time or another.

A few suggestions:

First, consider some simple math. If every time you return from a shoot there are thousands of images to review, you might be overdoing it in the field. Be more intentional about tripping the shutter. Think about what you're trying to achieve and the best way to go about it. Wait for that special moment. Then make the picture.

This isn't to suggest it's a bad idea to thoroughly work a subject: for example, experimenting with various compositions and trying both vertical and horizontal orientations, or taking insurance shots, or sticking with rapidly changing conditions. I routinely do that and recommend it. Nor should you forego burst shooting when the situation dictates it (i.e. fast-moving wildlife). However, the difference between a good photograph and a mediocre one generally isn't determined by the number of times the shutter is depressed. Just because the memory card has massive capacity doesn't mean "gripping and ripping" is a good default strategy.

When processing, be hyper-aware of detail. Zoom way in to make sure the image is tack sharp. This is also relevant if you created a pano: check to make sure each one of the images in the final stitched product is crisp. Check for distractions within the frame - not just around the edges, although those can be problem spots. If you exposed a series, look carefully at things like the relative position of elements in order to select the strongest shot. The subtleties between one image and the next may be miniscule but can make a big difference when it comes to the photograph's overall impact.

Finally, you've got to learn to be ruthless. Do you best to step back and look objectively at the images. Remove emotion from the equation, and be honest with yourself.

If there are any fatal flaws (such as unintended blur, weak composition, or exposure that's too uneven to rectify), the photo isn't a keeper - no matter how much you want to like it. It doesn't matter that you spent a lot of money, time and effort to get to the location. It doesn't matter that it's a place which is special to you. It doesn't matter that you may never have an opportunity to make a photograph at that place again. It doesn't matter if there are good memories associated with making the photograph. None of that will rectify an issue that is not fixable.

Does the image have impact?

Is it composed in a compelling way?

Is the photograph on par with your best work?

You're only as strong as your weakest link, as the saying goes. Mediocre images will negatively impact your portfolio overall.

That said, be careful. It's possible to overdo it! If you're on the fence about an image, set it aside, give it some time, and then come back to review it again with fresh eyes. You might change your mind, even years later. (Seriously. Years later. I have one such image. I'm not sure what I was thinking the first time around.)

As for your website, we're all familiar with the saying less is more. It's a good guideline, difficult as it might be to adhere to. How much is too much is determined somewhat by your intended audience and what you're trying to achieve online (sales, attracting potential clients, demonstrating your capabilities, etc.).

Try to think in terms of showcasing the very best of your work - the best of the best. Whet the viewer's appetite instead of giving them a five course meal. Don't be afraid to edit. When adding something new, maybe it's time to remove something older. Galleries that include hundreds of photographs are galleries that are far too large. Nobody is going to peruse all those images, no matter how good they are.

There are many potential applications for other excellent images you've made, such as folios, books and calendars, or for educational purposes.

Another thing you can do to make the editing process a little less difficult is to think about it in terms of images you want to keep rather than those that don't make the cut. That's more of a positive mindset.

Look for the diamonds.

Odds and Ends

Aftermath
It's been a long week, with Grizzly 399 and her orphaned cub everywhere in my thoughts. 399 was like family to so many who live here and especially those who spend a lot of time in the park. She was a gift, and she was consequential. An iconic symbol of the American wilderness and preeminent ambassador for her species, 399 blazed a trail for the return of grizzlies to the Jackson Valley and inspired untold numbers of people to care about wildlife conservation. Quite a legacy.

Our Queen of the Tetons was also a celebrity with a worldwide fan base. She didn't ask for fame, but adapted to all the attention and was exceedingly tolerant of humans.

"399 learned to live with us and we need to learn to coexist with them. It just takes a little effort on humans' part to be successful."
-Park Ranger Kate

Amen to that. This is a special place; we must take more responsibility and be willing to do things differently.

The collision which ended 399's life could have been avoided. She and her cub were in the canyon feeding on an elk that had been killed by a vehicle. She was seen during the day on Monday - the day before her own death - right next to the highway, because that's where the elk was, yet the carcass wasn't moved (which is typically done to avoid just this sort of situation). Monday afternoon, all day Tuesday and into Tuesday night, nothing was done. Also, as far as I know, no warning sign had been posted indicating bear activity in the canyon. One wonders why neither of those things happened.

Traffic poses a constant danger to wildlife. Every year in Wyoming, 6,000 big game animals are killed as a result of vehicle collisions. Many roads cut through wildlife habitat and migratory areas. This especially impacts bears, which are a wide-ranging species. Wildlife crossings are costly but so are vehicle/wildlife collisions, and in many ways. It would be fitting if 399's legacy now also included prompting humans to - belatedly - take meaningful action to provide her fellow grizzlies (and other animals) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem safer access to quality habitat. Such sheltered connectivity would benefit both animals and humans. Better late than never.

Meanwhile, drivers need to be more cautious. There are a lot of commuters traveling between Jackson and the surrounding areas: the volume of traffic continues to increase. Inexplicably, there is no lowered nighttime speed limit on the highway in the Snake River Canyon on which 399 was killed. That said, if there were, would it be obeyed? Both in the canyon and on the two passes, there's a lot of aggressive driving. The same is true inside GTNP, where speeding is routine. At the very least, you'd think people would care about their own safety. Be that as it may, it's past time to address a nighttime limit in the canyon and put more teeth into enforcement.

The Big Show
Foliage season is over in both national parks - though it did last quite a bit longer than usual this year. I ran over to Swan Valley, Idaho early one morning early last week to see what, if anything remained. There was still a good deal of color in the vicinity of the South Fork of the Snake River (pictured here), but higher elevations were mostly bare.

If you're unfamiliar with this area, the South Fork flows northwest through Eastern Idaho for more than 60 miles from the Palisades Dam to its confluence with Henry's Fork. It's considered one of the finest trout fishing rivers in the country - if not the finest - and the surrounding landscape is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the Gem State.

End of the Season
Today is the last day most roads are open to vehicle traffic inside Yellowstone. (The north entrance at Gardiner remains open throughout the year.) The park will re-open for oversnow travel in mid-December.

In Grand Teton National Park, Teton Park Road (the Inner Loop) also closes to vehicle traffic tomorrow. It'll remain open to bikers until it's snow-covered. After that time the road will be groomed for skiing, snowshoeing and hiking.