More Often Failed Than Successful
Sunday 19 October 2025, 13:26 by Nando Harmsen | 2,186 views | 8 commentsThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
We always look on in amazement at that one fantastic photo of an action moment. It doesn't matter whether it involves dogs, horses, sport, birds or animals. There are many failed photos behind that one fantastic photo.
We often think about those fantastic photos we've seen from others. Incredible photos that deserve a place on the wall. Of course, you need a bit of luck for that. And you need to take lots of photos.
Recently, I was in a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) with the participants of the Lofoten autumn trip, photographing white-tailed eagles. Photos often go wrong then. Sometimes that feels like a failure. And that's normal.
When you look at the results on your camera's screen, they often look disappointing. They aren't sharp, they're too far away, or too close. They're blurred or show a strange pose. So how do those others get the photo right?
Don't worry, the photographers who can show a fantastic photo have hundreds of failed shots behind that one good photo. They don't show those. It's that one fantastic photo that matters. That's what it's all about.
We shouldn't expect all the photos from a session like this to turn out well. After all, you don't have everything under control. Experience can of course help, but even then more photos fail than succeed.
So don't be disappointed too quickly when you come back from photographing action. There will always be many failed shots among them. That's normal.
I'm therefore certain that the participants on my trip will have at least one fantastic photo. That's what it's all about.
About the author
Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.
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8 comments
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Mac wrote on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 08:55 | replyThis is something that occurs everywhere, and is overlooked everywhere.
Translated from Dutch.
People only see the successes, whether it is in photography, in sports etc.
All the hard work and the failures are not seen. Which are nevertheless very important to get that one beautiful photo, for example. -
Wilfried wrote on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 10:38 | replyWithout those failures, there would be no good photos. That’s how it is with all creative activities. How often is a scenario or film script rewritten? Through experience and talent, the percentage of misses becomes smaller. That one is worth all that effort.
Translated from Dutch. -
Paul van Aken wrote on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 12:18 | replyThat is the case now, let alone in the analog era, when you couldn't shoot so many in a row so quickly. Yet many beautiful photos from that time have also survived. So it worked even without our modern equipment, I think thanks to craftsmanship and veeeery much patience.
Translated from Dutch. -
Nando
wrote on Wednesday 22 October 2025 at 09:07
| reply
These days it seems almost like shooting fish in a barrel. As long as you have enough frames per second, the chances of getting something are greater.
Translated from Dutch.
I’m sometimes shocked by how many photos are taken during a session like with the eagles. -
Donald Willemsen wrote on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 15:11 | replyWith the pre-burst mode settings on more and more mirrorless cameras, the chances of success are already somewhat greater.
Translated from Dutch. -
Liesbeth Verkade wrote on Tuesday 21 October 2025 at 19:12
| reply
Thank you Nando for this contribution. I keep running into failed photos more and more often, despite careful planning and thinking through the settings beforehand. To be honest, it was really getting me down and I seriously considered hanging my camera up in the willows :-( . Maybe I should just keep trying after all.
Translated from Dutch. -
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Donald Willemsen wrote on Wednesday 22 October 2025 at 09:15 | reply
I had already thought of that too, Nando. Besides, you shouldn't want to do everything someone else does. Bird photography, for example, is hugely popular nowadays, but it's not really my thing. So I stick to the photography I'm good/better at.
Translated from Dutch.
So Liesbeth, mainly focus on the branch of photography you're good at. Leave those willows alone for a little while longer
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