Oh, where oh where is it

[DueyDooDah]

Quite awhile ago, someone posted a list of things to check before snapping that [award-winning] photo (was it Mark?). As the message seems to have scrolled off the site, can that person post it again? Or, can anyone post their "list of items to check before taking the picture"?

 

[bostran1]

I always check:

ISO
Aperture
Metering mode
Shutter speed (to determine if I need a tripod or can hand hold)
Shooting mode (continuous, single shot, timer, etc)
White Balance

I think that pretty much covers it for me. ISO is always the hardest for me to remember to check because my camera (Canon Digital Rebel XT) does not display it anywhere but inside the menu.

 

[ukcatfan]

Don't forget about composition, background, distractions, proper lighting, etc. Most of the time, the rule of thirds makes great composed shots.

Kevin

 

[bostran1]

Don't forget about composition, background, distractions, proper lighting, etc. Most of the time, the rule of thirds makes great composed shots.

Kevin

Absolutely! Checking the settings on the camera doesn't do anything unless you check what you're shooting!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Couldn't have been me. I usually check everything after I'm back home and curse myself for the stupid things I forgot to check before shooting. Checking first seems like a good idea and it's something that I know I should do, but I rarely do.

 

[DueyDooDah]

Ahhh, thank you everyone. Combining the info above is what I was looking for. Anyone else have any other thoughts?

 

[deletedpenguin]

Everything that everyone says here is correct, but remember, photography is an art, therefore there are no "rules" but rather "guidlines". Rules of 3rds is a great guideline, but sometimes it doesn't work. Overexposing or underexposing can often make a regular looking picture interesting, depending on the subject, but the most important thing I've found is to look for that shot that you wouldn't normally take. For example, everyone takes a picture of the castle at Disneyland, and it's great, but once you've seen one picture straight on, you've seen them all (at least in my opinion), so look at trying to take a picture from a different angle, one that most people who are in a hurry wouldn't even think of. Those are the pictures that, I think, will catch your eye.

Again, just my $.02, but it's worked for me.

 

[crazydadguy]

Hey DeletedPenguin,
I was browsing your flickr page and saw your photos from the anemone exhibit. Do you have any tips for taking pictures through glass, ie. an aquarium or something of the like...

 

[Groucho]

I might check out the cute cast member playing Kim Possible or Ariel... ummm, maybe we're talking about something else?

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Off the top of my head, here are some of the things that I think about before taking a picture. Some don't apply in some situations. Some are such a habit that they come automatically. Some I forget about all too often. These are all things that I've thought about at some time while shooting and most are things that I wished I'd thought about but didn't for some shots.

Why is it so dark in the viewfinder? Oh yeah, lens cap.
Is my aperture going to give me the DOF that I want?
Is my shutter speed quick enough for hand holding?
Is my shutter speed quick enough to freeze the motion?
Is my shutter speed long enough to capture the movement?
Is my ISO as low as I can get it and still use the aperture and shutter speed that I want?
Am I using the correct metering mode?
Am I in the correct exposure mode (Av/Tv/Manual/Auto)?
Do I have the correct exposure compensation?
Do I have my flash on?
Do I have the correct flash compensation?
Do I have the correct flash mode (ETTL/Manaul)?
Do I have the flash sync speed set appropriate (normal/high speed)?
Do I have the correct drive mode (H/L/2 second/10 second/1 shot)?
Should I bounce the flash or go straight on?
Should I switch to second curtain sync?
Should I drag the shutter?
Should I use a tripod?
Do I have the right lens on for this picture?
Did I remember to set the camera back to RAW after shooting those JPGs?
How much memory do I have left?
Is my camera square and level?
Go ahead, walk on through...I'm still setting up.
Do I have mirror lockup set appropriately?
Do I have bracketing on and set the way I want it?
Do I have the correct focus point(s) turned on?
Am I focused on the right place?
Is that piece of dust on my viewfinder, mirror, or lens?
Should I focus between my subjects to make the best use of my DOF?
Do I have IS turned on? Is it in the right mode?
Do I need to switch my focus range limiter on?
Check my DOF preview to see how my OOF areas look.
Do I have any badly placed items in the background?
Should I shift my perspective by zooming out and walking in or zooming in and backing up?
Should I try panning this shot?
I'm hungry. What's for lunch?
How's the light? Should I move my subject to better lighting?
How's the dynamic range? Should I recompose or add flash to fix any dr problems?
Do I need a polarizer? If so, is it adjusted properly?
How is my subject posed?
How is my composition? Moving into the frame? Rule of thirds? Groups of three? Triangles? Complimentary colors?
Does my subject have an appropriate expression?
Is the horizon line where I want it to be?
How will this picture do in the weekly contest?
Is the wind blowing my subject? Should I wait for it to stop?
Why can't my wife and kids smile instead of giving me that bored and impatient look?

 

[deletedpenguin]

Hey DeletedPenguin,
I was browsing your flickr page and saw your photos from the anemone exhibit. Do you have any tips for taking pictures through glass, ie. an aquarium or something of the like...

Hey there! To be honest, I took a lot of pictures of the exhibits, and I'd say probably half came out. The aquarium was very crowded, and the thing I had the most problems with were kids bumping into me or jumping in front of me as I took the pictures. Frustrating, but god bless digital, you just take it again. I found that bracing yourself against the wall is the easiest way to brace yourself, as most aquariums don't allow tripods or monopods inside.

Use a high ISO (especially if you use noise reduction software) and use your fastest lens. You may also need to focus manually, depending on the light situation as the camera may try to focus on the reflection instead of the exhibit. If you get close enough, it won't be able to focus on the glass and you'll get a better quality picture. CPL's help with reducing reflections, but depending on the quality of the filter, may cause you to lose a stop, so adjust accordingly. Don't use it if you don't need it.

So, with that said, just take a lot of pictures. It's an added of bonus of shooting digital. I'm by no means a pro, I'm just a hobbyist so the more pictures you take the better chances you have of keepers. I've had trips where I've kept maybe 15% of my shots. Some will come out, some won't, as most aquariums are really dark, but you may get that one "wow" shot, and all those other wasted shots are worth it.

Hope this helps, even the slightest!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Another technique I've used for aquarium shots is to press the lens up directly against the glass. That blocks out any reflections. You might even be able to do the same with the flash and an off-camera flash cord. I've never tried that.

On some open top tanks, you can also get extra illumination by bouncing a flash off of the ceiling.

I'll have to add that to my list of things to think about before shooting:
Is my lens presed up against the glass? What about the flash?

 

[mabas9395]

Don't forget to check your battery! I just got the grip for my XT and since it holds two batteries I don't have to charge them as often. Which means I'm more likely to forget to charge them even when I should.