Dumb tip for Newbies.

[dancingsphinx22]

Make sure you always check your settings before you shoot!

I know this sounds obvious, but it's easy to forget to do that in the heat of things. For example, I was hiking with my stepdaughter when I turned around and saw the sun was illuminating her in the most prettiest way. Well I took a few shots, forgetting that I was shooting sun sets the night before *slaps forehead*

Needless to say, this is all I got.

Instead of a beautiful portrait of my stepkid, I got a blown out ghost. Blegh.

I just wanted to share this with other newcomers/beginners, so they DON'T make the same mistake. :blushing:

 

[edouble]

I have done similar errors as well......duh. A few times I had my exposure bracketing set on and forget to switch it off. Incorrect auto focus settings have ruined pictures for me as well.

 

[timeshadowed]

Make sure you always check your settings before you shoot! :blushing:

It is even a good tip to remember with the simplest P & S. I have a setting for distance and close-up. I've caught myself trying to take distance pix and had the close-up setting switched on. :blushing:

 

[MrBarney]

ISO for me. Forgot to bring it down after some low light shooting the day before.

And shutter sync speed. Using fill flash (to avoid racoon eyes), in aperture priority mode outside. I forgot to keep an eye on the shutter speed (or set high speed sync) and so the camera was at iso100, 1/250 and lots of blown highlights. I won't do that again.

 

[Geaux]

You don't check the shots on your LCD after you take them? I always check them out before moving onto another.

 

[MrBarney]

Many times it's not practical, such as wildlife, kids, pets, candids, an event etc.. Time you are spending reviewing is time you could be shooting. If there's a lot going on I might only take a quick peek after every dozen or more shots.

I am trying to get into the habit of checking all the settings during shooting, not after.

 

[MohaimenK]

I always check the LCD after each picture. Make it a habit and it'll help incase a picture comes out terrible. Better than to come home and finding out it came out terrible.

 

[dancingsphinx22]

I used to have the auto review on, but I turned it off because the LCD is never the same as the actual image. So I'd rely on the LCD, then I'd get home with crappy images. I was using it like a crutch, so I turned it off and now I focus more on learning how to correspond the aperture, Fstops, ISO, ect.

To this day, I still sometimes forget that I turned it off so I'll look at the LCD expecting the image, then I feel like a dumba$$ for staring at a blank screen with a confused look on my face. :lmao:

Many times it's not practical, such as wildlife, kids, pets, candids, an event etc.. Time you are spending reviewing is time you could be shooting. If there's a lot going on I might only take a quick peek after every dozen or more shots.

I am trying to get into the habit of checking all the settings during shooting, not after.

That was the thing here - my skid doesn't sit still much and I was "Oh, I gotta get this shot, quick!!" Once she knows I'm shooting, she starts in with the stupid faces to spite me. :er:

 

[tsblo]

Didnt you notice your meter at the bottom the viewfinder? Its the first thing I look at.

 

[dancingsphinx22]

Didnt you notice your meter at the bottom the viewfinder? Its the first thing I look at.

Yeah I did! I'm still battling with that one. I can never get it in the middle, but I'm working on it. :blushing:

 

[tsblo]

Didnt you notice your meter at the bottom the viewfinder? Its the first thing I look at.

Yeah I did! I'm still battling with that one. I can never get it in the middle, but I'm working on it. :blushing:

It just takes practice. I assume your shooting in manual.
The first thing I do is set my ISO for the scene. 200 for sunny. 400 for cloudy. Than set my aperture for the DOF I want and than just spin that rear shutter dial till it centres. Thats a basic run through of how I set my camera lol.

 

[KmH]

I used to have the auto review on, but I turned it off because the LCD is never the same as the actual image. So I'd rely on the LCD, then I'd get home with crappy images. I was using it like a crutch, so I turned it off and now I focus more on learning how to correspond the aperture, Fstops, ISO, ect.

Smart move. ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ . :thumbup:

 

[supraman215]

I always check the LCD after each picture. Make it a habit and it'll help incase a picture comes out terrible. Better than to come home and finding out it came out terrible.

^^^^^^^^^^ :thumbdown:

Many times it's not practical, such as wildlife, kids, pets, candids, an event etc.. Time you are spending reviewing is time you could be shooting. If there's a lot going on I might only take a quick peek after every dozen or more shots.

I am trying to get into the habit of checking all the settings during shooting, not after.

^^^^^^^^^^ :thumbup:

Didnt you notice your meter at the bottom the viewfinder? Its the first thing I look at.

^^^^^^ so easy to forget

It just takes practice. I assume your shooting in manual.
The first thing I do is set my ISO for the scene. 200 for sunny. 400 for cloudy. Than set my aperture for the DOF I want and than just spin that rear shutter dial till it centres. Thats a basic run through of how I set my camera lol.

^^^This is what I do, start with ISO, then DOF, and crank up/down shutter, if I run out of shutter (usually in the slower direction) I see how much more room I have in ISO if I'm already at 800 I try not to go above unless the lighting is extreme, then I'll look at aperture. But without fail from shooting in AUTO and P/S cameras for so long, and ignoring the light meter for so long I'll pick it up and start shooting.

 

[JasonLambert]

I have also learned this lesson the hard way. What I have done to try and correct myself is I have started to return my camera settings to the same point AFTER a shoot. This helps as a reminder that I need to set up the camera EVERY time I shoot.

My return point?
M mode ISO 100 f5.0 1/60th
AP mode f5.0
Tv mode 1/60th

I don't drive without a seatbelt, run around the pool, have sex without a condom (unless I'm with my wife), or shoot without setting up my camera.

BTW... I never use a condom. (so I am always having sex with my wife).

Why do I do this to myself? Just stop typing!

 

[misstwinklytoes]

I have also learned this lesson the hard way. What I have done to try and correct myself is I have started to return my camera settings to the same point AFTER a shoot. This helps as a reminder that I need to set up the camera EVERY time I shoot.

My return point?
M mode ISO 100 f5.0 1/60th
AP mode f5.0
Tv mode 1/60th

I don't drive without a seatbelt, run around the pool, have sex without a condom (unless I'm with my wife), or shoot without setting up my camera.

BTW... I never use a condom. (so I am always having sex with my wife).

Why do I do this to myself? Just stop typing!

LOL!!! :lmao: I read this to my husband because he was asking me why I was laughing SO hard.