Rituals

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GerryD

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Gerald Davies
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Do you have routines or rituals you follow before taking photographs?

As I'm new the hobby with a limited amount of equipment:'(, I'm trying to find out how more experienced photographers setup their equipment and what preparation you go through before pressing the shutter release button.

Any information would be welcome, even it is scratching you behind or nipping behind the nearest tree for a call of nature:whistling:
 
#1 - forget to remove lens cap

#2 - forget to check ISO is adjusted after those dusk 800iso shots last night

#4 - forget to take it off 'mirror lock up' mode, ditto last nights shots....


;) Otherwise, no, not really, but then, like you, I still consider myself very much an amateur, so no lucky knickers or only opening left hand zipper of bag first for me :shrug:
 
For some reason LadyLens all the above seem to ring a bell :bang:
 
Yup, I take a few deep breaths, and a moment to relax. Gives ample opportunity for any talent and skill I have in my body to leave :D
 
Check AF/MF is set as appropriate, check VR is set on/off as appropriate, check ISO, check file format, check AF mode, check exposure comp.

Most I rarely change, but I run an eye down the settings out of habit.
 
Depends what I'm shooting I guess but normally

Format memory card
Check available light
Check ISO
Check white balance
Set exposure
Adjust AF point & mode/set manual focus
Shoot a few test shots
Adjust exposure to get the result I want
 
If Im being honest, I have very little rituals BEFORE taking photographs, because my rituals are all before I put my camera away at night. I reset everything to set defaults, so I know I'm ready to go next time I take it out.
 
LadyLens said:
#1 - forget to remove lens cap

#2 - forget to check ISO is adjusted after those dusk 800iso shots last night

#4 - forget to take it off 'mirror lock up' mode, ditto last nights shots....


;) Otherwise, no, not really, but then, like you, I still consider myself very much an amateur, so no lucky knickers or only opening left hand zipper of bag first for me :shrug:
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Did you forget #3 ?

#3 for me would be forget I was using manual last time and shouldn't be ignoring the meter cos its not Av mode
 
Check battery power and clean underwear (well ya never know:thinking:)

Pat
 
steveinspain said:
Not sure about the no lucky knickers bit - if I met a girl with no knickers, I'd feel pretty lucky..

Maybe the only girls with no knickers are pro's..??


..and just in case, there is NO implication here that LadyLens is anything other than amateur.. don't want to go upsetting anyone !
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:naughty: I never bothered trying to sell my body, its not worth much :lol:

RobertP said:
Did you forget #3 ?

#3 for me would be forget I was using manual last time and shouldn't be ignoring the meter cos its not Av mode
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It was late Robert....honest! :whistling: ;)
 
Before going out I would make sure everything is set to my defaults, but that is about it. Although when I get somewhere I take the lens cap off, then seem to spend several minutes giving the lens a good lens-penning.

Michael.
 
mij said:
Before going out I would make sure everything is set to my defaults, but that is about it.
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Pretty much the same here.

Check all lenses are clean
Reset camera to AV and ISO 100.
White Balance to Auto
Charge batteries & external storage harddrive.

And then go out and forget to take lens cap off for every first photograph in a new location :gag:
 
I always sit down before going out and clean everything down. Lenses and filters are cleaned with a cloth and then rocket blown, then the body itself. Then I turn it on, make sure the card is empty and formatted and reset everything to how it should be. It's very sad. I can see my girlfriend shaking her head out of the corner of my eye while i'm doing it.

Anyone else clean their camera bag with the hoover? :lol:
 
Night before a shoot, I take everything out of my bag, charge the batteries (remember to put them back in the camera :p), clean my lenses, take the filters off, clean them, put them back on, clean them again, wipe my memory cards, reorganise everything into my bag, put the lens on I think I'll need for the day the most, check the ISO and everything.

I do the same with sue's stuff too because she's too lazy to do it herself :p
 
I might not be able get away with the lucky knickers! Well maybe if I where them under my trousers :naughty:?

Thanks for your response, it's given me some things to think about, as I'm pretty much still at the point and shoot stage.

I always sit down before going out and clean everything down. Lenses and filters are cleaned with a cloth and then rocket blown, then the body itself. Then I turn it on, make sure the card is empty and formatted and reset everything to how it should be.
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What do you mean by "Rocket Blown"?

Never even thought about cleaning my camera bag, but does make sense. Even thought, like Marcel, I change the lens in the bag and do my best to keep it sheltered out of the wind, etc..

Also I'm going to have to by some by some more cleaning tools as I seem to be sadly lacking in that area. :bang:
 
Basically you use one of these

259157.jpg


Which is an air blower to shift dust and things.
 
I usually just check the four buttons (ISO, metering, AF and WB) on the 400D as I've been caught out a few times in the early days by leaving things on the wrong settings :bang:

Anything else is usually adjusted pre-shot as it depends on the situation or the lens being used.
 
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