Chimping....

[Lmphotos]

I am looking to increase my speed while out on a shoot. I take pictures of my son all the time which is fast as lightning and by the time I meter then adjust settings then add flash settings and then take a picture......look at the histogram then change more settings until I get it right I miss a the good shots! I know a lot of this will come with practice but is there anything I am missing? How do people NOT chimp? I don't see how it could evenly be possible it takes me 4-5 tries adjusting settings to get ready for 1 shot and I have to chimp every singlle one. Any advice???

 

[rexbobcat]

Don't try and go so fast.

If I'm photographing someone who seems to be in a hurry then they can either calm that **** down or we can reschedule for a time that we can both relax and take our time to produce quality images. lol...I'm not really joking...

I've learned that it's much easier to slow down and prevent mistakes than try and cut down your time on a shoot and then get home and realize that "oh crap, I forgot to move the light stand" or something because you're too busy trying to be the cool, fast photographer.

I usually chimp if the photo isn't of great importance/priority and I'm feeling lazy, like when I'm photographing a generic speech at a banquet or something. If I underexpose a little bit it's not the end of the world.

 

[Overread]

A few thoughts:


First get back to basics and put the flash down for a second.
Focus on the camera and its metering only, now if your subject is in constant light (ie the light is not changing or being shadowed upon the subject to any degree) then once you've metered and set the exposure that is it. You shouldn't need to change the exposure at all because the light source isn't changing and the light falling on the subject isn't changing either. Good for a clear sky sunny shoot or even dimmer weather so long as its constant cloud cover.

Now if you add flash into this and you also add a subject with a variable distance from yourself things get a bit more complex - firstly each time the subject moves closer or further away the flash light that lands upon it will be changed significantly; this is without any adjustment in power from the flash itself and is due to the nature of light falloff. Now you can compensate quickly for this with the flash's auto mode, you might have to chimp a bit at first as the flash will generally either over or underexpose a touch in most lighting conditions, but once you've worked out its metering quirks you can more reliably dial in some flash exposure compensation and then shoot with the flash running in its auto mode to adjust for subject distance.
This works best for fillflash where the flash isn't the dominate light source.


As you get more experience you will speed up, you'll also get more of an instinctive feeling for what settings look right for the lighting you're in as well as for what settings are likely to work. Familiarity with the camera's built in meter also helps as you gain understanding of what lighting conditions might make it a little over or under exposed.

 

[Lmphotos]

It not that but my 9 month old doesnt understand be still and most children as well for that matter. Honestly do you take 4-5 shots looking at everyone and then tweaking? I'm also scared not to chimp I moved just a slightly different angle once and that row of shots were all way underexposed. Any hints or just practice?

 

[Lmphotos]

Metering without flash is no problem I usually chimp one or two but that's it. The flash on the other hand is a different beast.....

 

[Overread]

Are you manually controlling the flash power or using an automatic flash metering mode?

Manual flash power control can be very helpful, but if you're subject to flash distance is changing a lot and your lighting is shifting then auto mode tends to stay ahead - manual is much easier when the subject to flash distance is fixed; the lighting more constant - or the exposure is totally controlled by the flashlight itself (ie natural light isn't contributing much if anything to the photo exposure).

 

[Josh66]

How do people NOT chimp?

I learned on film (and still shoot a lot of film), and chimping is just not possible with film.

I turn the review off on my digital cameras. Pay attention to the meter and your composition, and you don't have to chimp.


A flash meter goes a long way towards not chimping when you're using it too... Pretty much any time I'm using flash, I'm using a flash meter. The exceptions are birthday parties and stuff like that, where I'll just switch it over to E-TTL.

 

[Lmphotos]

Are you manually controlling the flash power or using an automatic flash metering mode?

Manual flash power control can be very helpful, but if you're subject to flash distance is changing a lot and your lighting is shifting then auto mode tends to stay ahead - manual is much easier when the subject to flash distance is fixed; the lighting more constant - or the exposure is totally controlled by the flashlight itself (ie natural light isn't contributing much if anything to the photo exposure).

I put it on manual when inside my house and doing a newborn or something along those lines. Outside I put it on ettl but it still let me set my FEC and it never gets it right I always have to mess with it

 

[runnah]

Can someone explain to me why this is a bad thing?

Is it some hipster, too cool for school thing?

 

[Mike_E]

Can someone explain to me why this is a bad thing?

Is it some hipster, too cool for school thing?

A 9 month old is like a movie you've waited a long time to see, you just don't want to miss a thing.

LM, how about a little more background on your work flow and equipment?

I see that you shoot Canon so Nikon's CLS isn't available to you so I'll try scatter shooting while waiting.

1) Take the flash off of the stand, it's not going to be powerful enough to cover a large enough area for zone lighting and unless you have the budget, room and desire to deal with studio lighting zone lighting isn't for you anyway. -Zone lighting is where you light an area to a specific value and just wait until your subject moves into the zone.

2) Learn to shoot one handed. Again, I don't know what you're working with here but if your flash has an accurate enough auto function you can go old school and hold the flash in your left hand (while aiming it at your subject) and your camera in your right. You simply set both to the aperture that you want and fire away. I use Metz 45 CL4 and wireless trigger set up for this. Metz handle mount flashes were the industry standard for years because their auto-thyristors are amazingly accurate.


Anyway, just a couple of thoughts.

 

[Tee]

Can someone explain to me why this is a bad thing?

Is it some hipster, too cool for school thing?

Was thinking the same thing. If the means to instantly review an image is available and one wants to ensure they are getting it right, then why not chimp? I don't chimp every shot but when I do a settings change, I'll definitely take a quick peek to make sure things look good. I'd say I average chimping every 5-10 shots. Sometimes you just get in the zone and know things are groovy, other times you feel like things are off. It's about comfort and knowledge.

 

[flow]

Can someone explain to me why this is a bad thing?

Is it some hipster, too cool for school thing?

Yeah I was thinking the same... the camera gives you the option to check the image right away. Why would it be a bad thing to use that?? When I think of shooting on film and not being sure, but didn't take another (film is expensive!), and then ended up not getting it quite right ... I love having the option to check real quick, and shoot again if necessary, and as many as it takes - they're all free.

 

[flow]

^^ Jinx!

 

[runnah]

This reeks of some "holier than thou" trend.

"oh I am such a good photographer I don't even look where I point the camera."

Give me a break.

 

[Village Idiot]

I am looking to increase my speed while out on a shoot. I take pictures of my son all the time which is fast as lightning and by the time I meter then adjust settings then add flash settings and then take a picture......look at the histogram then change more settings until I get it right I miss a the good shots! I know a lot of this will come with practice but is there anything I am missing? How do people NOT chimp? I don't see how it could evenly be possible it takes me 4-5 tries adjusting settings to get ready for 1 shot and I have to chimp every singlle one. Any advice???

Set up before hand. Know that once you get your camera at whatever settings, you can put your flash at this power or that power at whatever distance for the exposure you want. Write it down. Tape it to the flash. You don't have to shove everything into your head. Chimp your first shot or two to make sure they look OK then fire away. If the ambient isn't constantly changing at some time like sunsent and your conditions are staying the same, then you're good to go.

Don't try and go so fast.

If I'm photographing someone who seems to be in a hurry then they can either calm that **** down or we can reschedule for a time that we can both relax and take our time to produce quality images. lol...I'm not really joking...

I've learned that it's much easier to slow down and prevent mistakes than try and cut down your time on a shoot and then get home and realize that "oh crap, I forgot to move the light stand" or something because you're too busy trying to be the cool, fast photographer.

I usually chimp if the photo isn't of great importance/priority and I'm feeling lazy, like when I'm photographing a generic speech at a banquet or something. If I underexpose a little bit it's not the end of the world.

Unfortunately not everyone has the luxury of taking their own time. If you're shooting a person for a publication that's being "generous" by allowing you 15 minutes to get a shot of them, then you have to do what it takes to get the photo in the time you're allowed to get it.